Delhi University limits campaign vehicles and bans name stickers for DUSU polls
Delhi University (DU) in New Delhi has tightened campaign norms for the upcoming Delhi University Students’ Union (DUSU) elections, capping the number of vehicles per candidate at five and banning the use of name stickers, animals, tractors, and JCBs.
DU Proctor Manoj Kumar Singh issued these directions on Thursday following a meeting with current DUSU office-bearers and representatives of student organisations. The stricter guidelines follow directions and past observations from the Delhi High Court.
In 2024, the High Court took suo motu cognisance of large-scale property defacement, luxury vehicle use, and heavy machinery during DUSU campaigns. The court halted the counting of votes until defaced sites were cleaned, a process that cost the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) nearly ₹1 crore.
Under the newly issued guidelines, candidates are barred from putting name stickers on vehicles. Tinted or unregistered vehicles are also prohibited, and any unauthorised vehicles may be challaned or towed. Campaigning with animals such as elephants and horses, as well as heavy machinery like tractors and JCBs, is strictly banned.
The university has also reiterated its stance against defacing public property on and around the campus. No printed or digital billboards or banners may be pasted or suspended from poles. Flex displays on MCD boards are also prohibited, and printed campaign materials remain banned. Candidates are only permitted to use handmade posters on designated "Wall of Democracy" spaces.
The academic session is scheduled to begin on July 28, with the DUSU elections expected to take place within six to eight weeks, in line with Lyngdoh Committee guidelines. The official election schedule will be announced shortly. Candidates must seek prior approval for public meetings, and restrictions will be placed on the number of campaigners and their access to hostels. Additionally, DU has banned the distribution of gifts and promotional materials, warning that violations could result in disqualification.
Student organisations expressed mixed reactions to the new rules. Anjali, the secretary of the All India Students’ Association (AISA) DU unit, argued that the university is curbing student expression under the guise of preventing defacement, suggesting instead that the nominations of those who deface property should be cancelled. Meanwhile, Sarthak Sharma, the Delhi secretary of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), welcomed the guidelines as a positive step but emphasised that they must be implemented impartially.
