The Delhi High Court on Wednesday (September 16, 2026) rejected a challenge to the participation of candidates affiliated with student wings of political parties, like the NSUI and ABVP, in the upcoming Delhi University Students’ Union (DUSU) elections.

A Bench of Chief Justice D.K. Upadhyaya and Justice Tejas Karia observed that while it was the duty of DU authorities and its chief election officer to ensure that the polls are free of any participation or interference of anyone associated with a political party, a student wing has to be “differentiated” from its political party.

The petitioner’s counsel argued that the members of student wings of political parties cannot be permitted to contest DUSU polls, as participation of political parties was prohibited under the report of the Lyngdoh Committee, which was accepted by the Supreme Court and the Centre.

“What is prohibited is the association of political parties in the student election process. The student organisation which have made certain declarations …regarding affiliation of the candidates to be the organisation cannot be termed to be political parties,” the bench said.

“Merely because he (a candidate) is a member of the student wing of a political party, it would not amount to association with that political party. Therefore, it will not be in violation of the Lyngdoh Committee,” it added.

The DUSU elections are scheduled on September 18.

The Bench, however, cautioned against the participation and influence of political parties in the DUSU elections, and asked DU authorities to take note of a social media post by a candidate of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)’s student wing for allegedly displaying not only the name of the party but also its election symbol.

Such an activity needs to be checked by the authorities and the Chief Election Officer.

The petition, filed by a Delhi University student Vijeta, challenged the September 11 and August 13 notices by the Chief Election Officer announcing the DUSU polls and shortlisting the names of the contesting candidates.

Petitioner had emphasised in her plea that despite the Lyngdoh Committee recommending disassociation of student unions from political parties, the SFI-AISA alliance, the Aam Aadmi Party student wing, the National Students’ Union of India and the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad have declared candidates for various DUSU posts including president and vice-president.