New Delhi, Oct 22 : The Delhi High Court has expressed concerns over the shabby condition of Delhi University campuses, attributing the neglect to the “election excesses” of student unions. The court noted that posters and graffiti from the recent Delhi University Students’ Union (DUSU) elections held on September 27 had not been removed, and directed candidates to take responsibility for cleaning up the campuses and repainting defaced walls.
A bench comprising Chief Justice Manmohan and Justice Tushar Rao Gedela has impleaded 16 candidates from the DUSU elections as parties in the proceedings. These candidates are required to appear before the court on October 28 to explain their actions during the campaign.
The court ordered that the cleaning and restoration efforts should be carried out by the student candidates in collaboration with the university or respective colleges. The individuals impleaded include Bhaanu Pratap Singh, Ronak Khatri, Yash Panwar, and several others who were accused of contributing to the significant defacement of university property.
The bench emphasized the need for prompt action, directing the candidates to remove all posters, graffiti, and restore the condition of the walls. The court has mandated that Delhi University notify the newly-added respondents through WhatsApp and email to ensure their attendance at the upcoming hearing.
The court had previously halted the counting of DUSU election votes, which was scheduled for September 28, until the campuses were cleaned and public property restored to an acceptable state. During the proceedings, two candidates from separate colleges requested the court to allow the vote counting and declare results, stating they had already initiated cleanup efforts and motivated their peers to join in.
Despite these efforts, the court noted that photographs and videos indicated that both the north and south campuses remained in a disheveled state. “Both campuses have yet to recover from the ‘election excesses’ and continue to look shabby due to a large number of posters, hoardings, banners, and graffiti that have not been removed, and the boundary walls of several colleges are still in need of repainting,” the bench remarked.
The court has instructed the Delhi Police, Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), and Delhi University to submit updated status reports and has scheduled the next hearing for October 28. The ongoing case originated from a petition filed by advocate Prashant Manchanda, seeking action against DUSU candidates and student organizations allegedly involved in damaging and defacing public property.
