High Court asks 3 DU minority colleges’ reply against disassociation from DUSU polls

Delhi High Court allows students to participate in DU elections, challenges minority colleges' decision, court seeks response from colleges.

The Delhi High Court on Friday (September 20, 2024) sought the response of the Delhi University (DU) and three minority colleges under it on a plea moved by some students challenging the minority institutions’ decision to disassociate themselves from the students’ union elections.

The court, in an interim relief, allowed the petitioners and other students of these colleges to file their nomination forms and participate in the election process.

The court issued notices to the DU, Delhi University Students’ Union (DUSU), Sri Guru Nanak Dev Khalsa College, Sri Guru Teg Bahadur Khalsa College and Sri Guru Govind Singh College of Commerce, asking them to respond to the petition. It listed the matter for further hearing on September 23.

“Let the elections take place on campuses and not in courts,” the court said in a lighter vein.

The court was informed that the last date for filing nominations for the polls was Thursday, Friday was the last day for withdrawing candidature and the voting is scheduled for September 27.

The two petitioners have challenged the decision of the three minority colleges to stay away from the DUSU polls 2024, depriving students of their democratic rights.

The counsel for the students submitted that the decision was inconsistent with the university’s official notification and contrary to the Lyngdoh Committee’s recommendations mandated by the Supreme Court for fair student elections.