HC directs candidates to restore defaced DU walls
NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court has said campuses at the Delhi University were yet to recover from student unions’ “election excesses” and looked “shabby” as posters and graffiti hadn’t been removed as it directed the candidates to clean up the place and repaint the defaced walls.
A bench of Chief Justice Manmohan and Justice Tushar Rao Gedela impleaded 16 students, who had contested the Delhi University Students’ Union (DUSU) 2024-25 elections held on September 27, as parties to the proceedings while directing them to appear before it on October 28 and explain their conduct.
The high court said the cleaning work should be done by the student candidates in collaboration with the university or colleges.
On the prayer of the petitioner, the court impleaded as respondents -- Bhaanu Pratap Singh, Ronak Khatri, Yash Panwar, Rishabh Chaudhary, Lokesh Chaudhary, Yash Nandal, Rahul Singh Dedha, Aman Kapasia, Deepika Jha, Aman Kapasia, Shivam Maurya, Himanshu Nagar, Aaryan Maan, Rishi Raj Singh, Rahul Jhansla and Priyanshu Chaudhary.
The petitioner had alleged that major defacement was carried out by these candidates.
The court, therefore, directed them to remove the all the posters, graffiti and repaint the defaced walls in collaboration with the Delhi University and colleges.
It also asked the DU to inform the newly-impleaded respondents through WhatsApp and e-mail to appear in court on October 28.
The court, which had halted the counting of votes of DUSU polls till all the defacement material was cleaned up and public property was restored, reiterated the warning.
Two candidates from separate Delhi University colleges requested the court to proceed with vote counting and results, stating they had initiated a cleanup and encouraged fellow students to join. While the court acknowledged their efforts, it noted that photographs and videos revealed the campuses remained in a shabby state.
“The north and south campuses have yet to recover from the ‘election excesses,’ with many posters, banners, and graffiti still visible, along with several boundary walls needing repainting,” the bench noted. The court instructed the Delhi Police, MCD, and DU to provide updated status reports, scheduling the next hearing for October 28.
