Delhi HC pulls up 7 DUSU candidates, including 2 winners, for violating order on victory processions

The HC had directed on September 17 that no victory processions shall be taken out post declaration of results.

A Division Bench of Chief Justice D K Upadhyaya and Justice Tushar Rao Gedela added two news channels as parties to the case and directed them to furnish video footage, and preserve footage of their coverage of the DUSU election from September 10-19.

The court relied on news reports by the two channels that purportedly reflected that candidates had taken out victory processions.

“Has there even been one candidate who said ‘yes we’re sorry we did this’?… All of them are denying, saying you don’t have any proof of what we have done… None of them has admitted even a single instance,” Justice Gedela remarked orally.

The court also took note of “hooliganism” during the election. “It’s very tragic, painful, and a sad commentary on the state of affairs in our democratic functioning and democratic institutions… What can be worse than [in] student union elections…[there’s] use of JCBs, big cars…Bentleys… Where are these vehicles coming from? That’s enough of an infraction… You’ve Ferraris, Bentleys, Rolls Royce,” the court remarked orally.

In its order, the court noted: “It appears that the students have not learnt the lesson from the order passed during the last elections.” On that occasion, candidates were pulled up for widespread defacement, and the HC had stayed the counting of votes for almost a month owing to various infractions.

The court recorded the submission by Delhi Police that as many as 5,158 challans were issued between September 1-16 against traffic violators, including violations relating to advertisements, defective number plates, disobedience of directions, riders without helmets, improper parking, dangerous driving, driving without driving licence, vehicles without RC, vehicles with tinted glasses, ‘No Entry’ violations, vehicles without insurance and PUC certificates, etc. Another 386 challans were issued between September 17-19.

Chief Justice Upadhyaya orally remarked during the proceedings, “…Where have we come to… These days we’re requiring police to manage the situation?… It is very very painful… Despite the candidates knowing this (DUSU elections) is being monitored [by the court], not a single candidate has abided by the election [rules]… What are we heading to?”

The court will consider the matter on November 5, when the seven candidates are expected to respond.