DUSU Elections: HC seeks Delhi University reply after plea alleges EVM tampering

NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court on Monday sought the response of the chief election officer of Delhi University Students' Union on a plea challenging the result of the recently held DUSU polls in the capital. Justice Mini Pushkarna issued notice to DU and others on the petition filed by outgoing DUSU president Ronak Khatri, who has challenged the result for the president's post and alleged EVM tampering.

The court posted the matter for December 16 on his petition, alleging EVM tampering. The petition has sought a direction to the poll body to ensure free and fair DUSU elections, and to quash the recent voting, claiming the election held on September 18 was "vitiated" on account of tampering with the electronic voting machines (EVMs). It claimed EVMs were found to be deliberately tampered with blue ink markings against the name of the ABVP presidential candidate, Aryan Mann, to influence voters, "thereby undermining the neutrality, transparency, and legitimacy of the electoral process".

"Petitioners and other students/polling agents requested the Election/Returning Officers, university officials, and teachers on election duty to preserve the tainted EVMs, record incident reports, and halt polling, but all such authorities refused or failed to act, allowing the compromised polling process to continue," the petition alleged. The plea claimed "irregularities" were specifically witnessed and reported at Hansraj College, Kirori Mal College, and the Faculty of Law, University of Delhi.