Student poll: Delhi High Court demands action to curb vandalism

The Delhi High Court on Wednesday urged Delhi University to take strict action against candidates engaging in vandalism and defacing public property during the current students’ union elections. The court said the situation was worse than the General Election.

A Bench of Acting Chief Justice Manmohan and Justice Tushar Rao Gedela expressed concerns over the significant financial expenditures — amounting in crores — incurred by the candidates, indicating that the practice corrupts students from the outset.

The court said the elections were a “festival of democracy” rather than a “festival of laundering money.”

It added that candidates were allegedly spending crores, prompting them to urge the university Vice-Chancellor to take stringent action. They criticised the behaviour of candidates, describing it as “illiterate” for a learning environment.

The Bench proposed several actions, including deferring the elections scheduled for September 27, disqualifying candidates and starting the nomination process anew, or allowing polling but withholding results until the defacement is addressed.

The university’s legal counsel, under instruction from the Chief Election Officer present at the hearing, requested an additional day to decide on the matter, which the court agreed to address on Thursday.

The Bench instructed Delhi Police to collaborate with Delhi University, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi and Delhi Metro to prevent further defacement and ensure the removal of existing damage.

The petition was filed by advocate Prashant Manchanda, calling for accountability from candidates and student political organisations responsible for damaging public property and classrooms, emphasising the need for a clean and beautiful environment conducive to education.

The Delhi University counsel informed the court that show cause notices had been issued to 14 candidates for their involvement in the defacement.

Manchanda said the lengthy process required to remove spray paint and refurbish the affected areas, adding that previous clean-up efforts took over a year and costed crores.

The court further instructed the Chief Election Officer to ascertain the financial implications of the elections and emphasised that the electoral system should not lead to the corruption of youth.

The Bench expressed a strong stance on the matter, suggesting that if necessary, the Vice-Chancellor should annul the elections if proper decorum is not restored.