DUSU polls: Chief election officer hits out at politicians

The chief election officer for Delhi University Students’ Union elections Ashok Vohra is a deeply anguished man these days. He regrets the fact that he approached senior leaders across party lines over the issue of money and muscle power used during student elections.

‘The university elections are full of violence. But no senior leader to whom I had written a letter has come out to speak against the practice. Seniors leaders of Congress are supporting candidates and asking them to work towards winning the elections, but they are not trying to make them understand that they should achieve victory without the use of money and muscle power.’

Vohra said that he issued show-cause notices to eight students for using printed material during the poll campaign after analysis the videos of the campaign process. ‘Till now not a single student has come forward to give his/her clarification over the matter,’ he complained.

‘A day before the university goes to polls, we approached deputy commissioner of police (north) over security concerns during the polls. 

Unlike last year, the police has refused to arrange for the barricades inside counting centres, Vohra informed.

Considering the fact that there was large-scale violence and vadalising of property after the counting last year, the university has spent Rs 8 lakh from its coffers to ensure security on the campus.

Vohra also complained that though he was receiving regular complaints about violence marring the campaigning process not a single FIR has been lodged so far. 

As the 1.20 lakh voters gear up to exercise their right to vote during the DUSU election, 900 electing voting machines (EVM) at 51 centres have been set up. The timing of polling for morning classes is from 830 am to 12.30 pm, while for the evening classes is is 4 pm to 7 pm.