Bribing for Delhi University students' union polls gets a personal touch, with candidates doling out food coupons and multiplex tickets
Bribing for Delhi University students' union polls gets a personal touch, with candidates doling out food coupons and multiplex tickets
The students' elections at the Delhi University may be a bit low on spirit this time around, both literally and metaphorically, given the Lyngdoh committee recommendations, but enterprising aspirants have found a way around to woo voters. So food coupons and movie tickets have replaced Royal Stags and Old Monks as the weapons of choice.
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Candidates hope that these freebies would be fondly remembered by students when they are about to cast their votes. "Campaigners barged into my room in the middle of the night to induce me into gathering the commerce wing students for promoting their candidature. They made an offer of ten cartons of beer for guys and pizza coupons for girls to ensure support for them," said Vikas, a commerce student at DU.
When MID DAY contacted ABVP and NSUI leaders, they rejected all such allegations claiming they were being targeted by rivals. Ashutosh Srivastav, Delhi state secretary of ABVP, said: "This is a usual practice followed by NSUI candidates everywhere. They openly flout Lyngdoh Committee guidelines but there is nobody to stop them. This year too they have booked cinema halls, water parks and organised DJ parties for college students. The total expenses will run into lakhs. This is a complete violation of Lyngdoh committee recommendations. We are not into such practice and have our own way to fight the elections. We will definitely report all these matters to the chief election officer."
On the other hand, NSUI's state secretary, Shahnawaz Chaudhary, said: "We have never followed such practices. We have strictly issued guidelines to all our party members to follow Lyngdoh Committee norms. DJ parties and picnics are organised at water parks by college students on their own. Our members are not involved in this. They are present there only to promote our candidates. May be students affiliated to ABVP are spreading such rumours to hurt our chances."
Denying any breach of the committee norms, Prof Gurmeet Singh, Chief Election Officer of DUSU elections, said: "We have not received any complaints from students. We have a team which is monitoring and video recording the entire event. In case we come across any such violations, proper action will be taken against the party as well the candidates."
MONEY NEVER SLEEPS
Lyngdoh committee recommendations came to be implemented in 2007 for Delhi University Student Union Elections. It set the age limit for contesting at 25 years, election expenditure just Rs.5000, attendance more than 75%. Besides, printed posters were banned, processions were prohibited. In effect, efforts were made to ensure that only students could contest for Student Unions.
AGAINST A BRICK WALL
The Wall of Democracy is the space allocated to aspirants by DU authorities, to promote themselves through posters and stickers. This year candidates have to make do with hand-made posters only (limited to 4 posters per candidate of A4 size each). However, no one seems to be taking this clause too seriously as the wall remains coloured and crowded. Overall, campus walls have undergone a serious change this year; the look is more civilized and contained.
POLL VAULT
Last year, a total of seven candidates were disqualified from DUSU polls. Just two days before the polls, the election office served show-cause notices on six candidates contesting central panel posts for using printed material and posters in their campaign. Nearly 30,500 of the total around 88,000 students voted in the polls. About 750 electronic voting machines (EVM) were used for polls at 50 centres.
(With inputs from Amit Singh)
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