City walls stand defaced during DUSU elections

It’s that time of the year again when the capital’s wall and street furniture are defaced with posters of candidates in the Delhi University Students Union polls.

On paper, the law forbids this but in the absence of action against the culprits, Delhi’s denizens can only despair at the helplessness of the law against politically-backed elements.

No vacant space is sought to be spared by the civic vandals - subway walls, overbridges, lampposts - and the scars and the disfigurement remain for months, almost till the next election.

The Delhi Prevention of Defacement Property Act 2007 lays down that whoever defaces any property in public by writing or marking with ink, chalk, paint or any other material, shall be punishable with up to six months’ imprisonment or a fine of up to Rs1,000 or both. ‘The university cannot do much about this. We have already asked the police officials to book students who are caught defacing the walls,’ DU chief election officer DS Rawat  said.