- DUSU Election 2026 recorded 40.46% voter turnout, higher than last year.
- ABVP and NSUI engaged in a tight contest for the four central posts.
- Delhi High Court banned victory processions, citing Lyngdoh Committee violations.
DUSU Election 2026: The Delhi University Students' Union (DUSU) polls on Friday saw a 40.46 per cent voter turnout, with the ABVP and the NSUI locked in a keen contest. The student union polls held months after a Gen Z-led protest at Jantar Mantar brought questions of accountability and student concerns into sharper focus.
Marginal High Voter Turnout Than Last Year
Last year, the student elections across a majority of DU colleges recorded a voter turnout of 39.45 per cent.
ABVP Wins Several College Union Polls
The Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) won several college union polls across the DU on Friday, registering a clean sweep at the Shri Ram College of Commerce (SRCC), winning the president and secretary posts along with both councillor seats. The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh-affiliated organisation said it has put up a strong show in the college elections, recording clean sweeps in several colleges, and expressed confidence in securing a 4-0 victory in the DUSU polls despite the efforts of the Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP).
ALSO READ: DUSU Polls: Delhi HC Bars Victory Processions, Warns Candidates Over Lyngdoh Rule Violations
Tight Fight Between ABVP And NSUI For Central Posts
The DUSU election witnessed a closely watched contest among the ABVP, the Congress-affiliated National Students' Union of India (NSUI) and the AISA-SFI alliance for the four central panel posts -- president, vice-president, secretary and joint secretary.
Last year, the ABVP won three of the posts -- president, secretary and general secretary -- while the NSUI secured only the vice-presidential position. As the polling was underway, the ABVP alleged that an NSUI worker was caught distributing an incorrect ABVP panel number shortly before voting, while NSUI president Vinod Jakhar alleged that a former national secretary of the organisation was detained by police without any reason. Students said the CJP protest has changed the way some voters viewed participation in the election.
What Were The Poll Issues?
High rents at paying-guest accommodation, a lack of affordable lodging facilities, non-functional hostels and commuting costs emerged as key issues, as safety concerns have been heightened by a recent building collapse at Delhi's Satya Niketan that claimed seven lives.
The DUSU polls were held months after the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) protest. Accountability and student concerns featured in conversations around the DUSU polls, with voters saying they are looking more closely at what different student groups represent and the issues they seek to raise.
Voting To Start At 8 AM On Saturday
The counting of votes will begin at 8 am on Saturday, with the results of the prestigious DUSU polls set to offer an indication of which student group has best gauged the mood and concerns of the university's students. Polling for the morning shift began at 8:30 am and concluded at 3 pm, while voting in evening colleges continued till 7:30 pm.
The Delhi High Court on Friday ordered a complete ban on victory processions after the declaration of the DUSU election results, and asked all student organisations and candidates to explain why electoral damages should not be imposed on them for violation of norms.
A bench of Chief Justice D K Upadhyaya and Justice Tejas Karia passed the directions after observing that there were frequent and blatant violations of the Lyngdoh Committee recommendations during the DUSU polls.
The polls saw campaign activities that appeared to violate several rules governing student elections, with printed pamphlets scattered around the North Campus, vehicle rallies and the distribution of campaign materials around the South Campus. Around the North Campus, printed pamphlets bearing candidates' names were scattered on roads and footpaths. People travelling in vehicles threw pamphlets, particularly around Chhatra Marg and near colleges, such as Kirori Mal and Hansraj, while students on motorcycles distributed candidate cards as they moved between colleges.
(With PTI Inputs)