3 min readNew DelhiSep 4, 2009 05:03 AM IST
First published on: Sep 4, 2009 at 05:03 AM IST
The Dean Students Welfare office resembles a fortress,but inside the atmosphere is relaxed. The office functions as the home of the three-man election team,appointed by the vice-chancellor at the beginning of August.
For a month until the culmination of the elections,this office is witness to frenetic activity — announcing the poll date,inviting the candidates to contest,scrutinising the candidates’ details and enforcing the election code of conduct.
During the poll season,a normal day for Chief Election Officer Gurmeet Singh consists of coordinating with college officials,the police and lots of paperwork. “I work 18 hours a day,” he says.
Another part of his job is dealing with queries and complaints from the candidates. These have increased since the election team disqualified three candidates from the ABVP and two candidates from the NSUI.
In Singh’s office,as the disgruntled candidates defend themselves,charges and counter-charges fly. Singh is,however,more than a match for the student leaders. As ABVP presidential candidate Rohit Chahal protests his
disqualification,Singh says,“The High Court has upheld our order,based on the evidence. There is nothing more to say.”
Returning Officer Rajesh Tandon shows how the university says: “Civic sense is the first casualty in elections,and the power of money reigns. The essence and spirit of student elections is lost.”
Now,no candidate can contest more than once,must have adequate attendance and a clean academic record. “Students were doing it year after year — it had become a professional pursuit,” says Chief Returning Officer J M Khurana.
He refutes allegations that the election team is operating in an arbitrary manner. “The university asked the candidates to communicate their message on our website,yet only four bothered to do so. We had allocated space on the DU community radio for them,but only one candidate used that platform,” he says.
Despite heavy opposition,the election team believe things are changing. “This year had a highly-toned down campaigning season. Few posters defaced walls and the huge car rallies were missing this time,” says Khurana.
The election team has issued showcause notices to six more candidates for violating the model code of conduct.
“We want to cut out money power from the electoral process,and want unions to take interest only in academic matters,” says Khurana.
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