Delhi High Court orders preservation of DUSU Election EVMs amid tampering allegations

Digital Desk

The Delhi High Court has directed the preservation of all Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) and related documents from the recent Delhi University Students' Union (DUSU) elections.The order comes in response to a petition filed by the National Students' Union of India (NSUI), which has alleged significant irregularities in the polling process.

Interim Court Order and Allegations

The court's interim order, issued by Justice Mini Pushkarna, mandates the Chief Electoral Officer of Delhi University to secure all EVMs, paper trails, and election-related documentation under lock and key. This measure will preserve the evidence until the next hearing, scheduled for December 16, 2025.

The petition was filed by former DUSU president Ronak Khatri and this year's NSUI presidential candidate, Joslyn Nandita Chaudhary. They allege that the EVMs used in the September 18 election were tampered with to favour the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) candidate. The petitioners claim that blue ink markings were deliberately placed next to the name of ABVP's presidential candidate, Aryan Maan, on the ballot display units of EVMs at several colleges, including Hansraj College and Kirori Mal College. They argue that these markings were intended to influence voters and compromise the fairness of the election, which saw Aryan Maan elected to the president's post.

University's Response and Broader Context

Representing Delhi University, lawyer Rupal Mohinder opposed the petition, arguing that the presence of a thumb mark on the machine does not constitute tampering. The university also contended that the petition was incomplete as it did not implicate the winning candidate or the specific colleges where the alleged irregularities occurred.

This legal challenge follows recent criticism from the Delhi High Court regarding the conduct of DUSU election campaigns. Last week, a separate bench of the court expressed strong displeasure over the use of luxury vehicles like Bentley, Rolls Royce, and Ferrari for campaigning, questioning the source of such resources in a student election.

With the EVMs now under court-ordered protection, the focus shifts to the December hearing, where the allegations of tampering will be examined in detail, determining the future course of this contentious student union election.