Ferraris in Campus Polls? DU Faces Heat Over Lavish Election Drama

Delhi University (DU) administration and Delhi Police convened a comprehensive review meeting to assess the recently concluded Delhi University Students' Union (DUSU) elections, marking a pivotal step toward refining future electoral processes. Chaired by Vice Chancellor Professor Yogesh Singh at the university's North Campus, the session celebrated notable improvements in compliance with the Lyngdoh Committee guidelines—introduced in 2005 by the Supreme Court to curb money and muscle power in student polls.

Unlike previous years, where campus walls were plastered with posters and graffiti, the 2025 elections unfolded with a pristine North Campus, thanks to stringent enforcement against defacement. Singh commended the DUSU Election Committee and police for ensuring a seamless process, emphasizing that lessons from past disruptions, including the 2024 Delhi High Court intervention that withheld results until violations were cleared, informed this year's success.

The meeting highlighted key statistics and innovations that underscored the elections' progress. DUSU Chief Election Officer Professor Raj Kishore Sharma reported a 4% rise in voter turnout to approximately 55% overall, with Miranda House achieving over 60% participation—a testament to heightened student engagement. Notably, None of the Above (NOTA) votes surged by 15%, reflecting growing disillusionment with candidates amid persistent issues like regionalism and ideological divides. DUSU Presiding Officer Professor Rajesh Singh lauded the "Green and Clean Elections" campaign, which mobilized student volunteers for waste management and anti-littering drives, reducing environmental impact by 70% compared to 2024.

Delhi Police's Deputy Commissioner (Northwest) Bhisham Singh praised inter-agency coordination, while DCP (North) Raja Banthia's "Walls of Democracy" initiative—transforming potential poster sites into interactive voter education murals—prevented conflicts and boosted awareness. Several officers received commendations for their role in deploying 500 personnel across polling stations.

Despite these strides, the review was overshadowed by the Delhi High Court's sharp rebuke on September 19, 2025, over blatant violations involving luxury vehicles and heavy machinery in campaigns. A bench led by Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya and Justice Tushar Rao Gedela expressed dismay at sightings of Bentley, Rolls-Royce, Ferrari, and even JCB earthmovers ferrying candidates, questioning their origins: "What can be worse than such kind of campaigns in students' union elections? From where do they get such big cars? We haven't even heard of these cars."

The court issued notices to 12 candidates and organizers, including ABVP's Aryan Maan (elected president) and NSUI's contenders, for flouting Lyngdoh's expenditure cap of Rs 5,000 per candidate and prohibitions on ostentatious displays. This echoes 2024's judicial halt on counting due to widespread defacement, with the court lamenting that "students and organizers have not learned any lesson," potentially leading to stricter penalties like candidature disqualifications in future polls.

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The 2025 DUSU results saw ABVP dominate, with Aryan Maan securing the presidency by over 1,500 votes, promising concessions like subsidized Delhi Metro passes—a demand fulfilled by Chief Minister Rekha Gupta post-election. NSUI's Varun Choudhary alleged administrative bias favoring ABVP, amid a divided opposition including the SFI-AISA alliance's debut contest. Voter priorities, per manifestos, focused on academic reforms, hostel infrastructure, and women's safety, with ABVP emphasizing nationalism over regional divides. Singh assured that police suggestions, such as AI-monitored CCTV for campaigns and digital-only nominations, would be integrated, aiming for "One Nation, One Election"-inspired synchronization to minimize academic disruptions.

Attended by senior officials like Dean of Colleges Professor Balram Pani, Registrar Vikas Gupta, and Proctor Professor Manoj Kumar, the meeting reinforces DU's commitment to ethical elections. As the world's largest student body with over 700,000 members across 91 colleges, DUSU's polls mirror national politics, blending enthusiasm with challenges. With the High Court's scrutiny ongoing, 2025's cleaner canvas signals progress, but the luxury car controversy highlights the need for deeper reforms to align student democracy with Lyngdoh's vision of integrity and inclusivity.

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