Delhi High Court dismisses plea alleging partisan campaigning by varsity staff in DUSU polls

The Delhi High Court on Wednesday (September 30, 2026) dismissed a petition challenging the results of recently held Delhi University Students’ Union (DUSU) elections, which alleged large-scale electoral malpractice and partisan campaigning by university officials.

Justice Saurabh Banerjee dismissed the plea, observing that it lacked specific particulars and that the photographs relied upon by the petitioner did not mention when or where the alleged incidents had taken place.

“You cannot file these kinds of petitions. There are no particulars,” the court said.

The petition was filed by Vijay Shankar Meena, who had contested the DUSU presidential election on an NSUI ticket. He sought the setting aside of the result and production of records relating to the elections, including the counting records.

The petitioner alleged that principals, professors and administrative and teaching staff of several Delhi University colleges had campaigned in favour of candidates backed by the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP).

The plea also alleged that election officers of Satyawati College had campaigned for ABVP candidates, in violation of their statutory duty to remain neutral.

The court, however, said the photographs produced by the petitioner were insufficient to establish that the persons depicted were officials of Delhi University or that they were canvassing for any candidate.

Delhi University’s counsel also pointed out that none of the individuals shown in the photographs had been made parties to the petition.

The varsity further submitted that the petitioner had made a representation to the authorities only four days earlier and that the same would be considered expeditiously.

The DUSU elections were held on September 18, with the results declared the following day. ABVP candidate Yash Dabas was declared elected as president.