Ironic that we have to intervene for authorities to do their duty: Delhi HC ahead of DUSU polls

“How ironic it is that in such matters, we are called upon to apprise the university, police and other administration to do their duty. More ironic is that …private organisations (student unions like ABVP and NSUI) are called upon and impleaded as parties…I mean how do you conduct yourself?” Chief Justice Upadhyaya orally remarked.

The remarks came even as ABVP and NSUI gave an oral undertaking to the court that their candidates will not indulge in poll code violations, with ABVP further adding that they will be withdrawing their support to their candidate if found to be violating any rules.

In its order, the division bench recorded, “We can only hope and expect that no violation of the regulatory measures take place during the elections which shall be the responsibility of university authorities, Delhi Police, candidates and the organisations to whom candidates contesting elections belong to.”

On Monday, the High Court pulled up the Delhi University and Delhi Police while hearing the petition. While highlighting the photos put forth by the petitioner, allegedly showing the use of tractors, bouncers, and earthmovers by candidates during campaigning, the court observed that the pictures “clearly disclose several violations at several points of time and places as also by several students.”

The Delhi Police and the DU contended that the photos were not taken recently and did not violate the court’s orders on September 10 directing authorities to take action against poll code violations.

CJ Upadhyaya orally remarked, “Can you shirk away from your responsibilities? Do you need a court’s order? Does the police need a court order? Are you in a position to say these photos are false?.. What have you been doing since September 8?”

The High Court will continue to hear the matter on Wednesday.

Action taken by Delhi Police so far:

-149 traffic staff deployed with 35 motorcycles for round-the-clock monitoring

-7 defacement challans

-4,593 challans of which 695 challans only for north campus of DU

From the homepage

Chhattisgarh liquor ‘scam’: ED says ‘syndicate apex’ Chaitanya Baghel handled Rs 1,000 cr of proceeds

‘Rs 92 lakh and gold found’ during raids at ACS officer Nupur Bora’s house, Himanta says she profited from sale of ‘Hindu’s lands to Muslims’

UP village tense after 19-year-old chasing ‘cattle smugglers’ found dead