Voting for the Delhi University Students’ Union (DUSU) Election 2026 took place on Friday, with more than 1.5 lakh students eligible to cast their ballots, according to Zee News. Polling was conducted across day and evening classes in two separate shifts, with day classes running from 8:30 am to 1 pm and evening classes operating from 3 pm to 7:30 pm, as reported by CNBC-TV18. The election process saw a voter turnout of 40.46 per cent, marking a marginal increase from the 39.45 per cent turnout recorded in the previous year, as noted by The Daily Jagran.
DUSU Election 2026 Polls Underway Amid Delhi High Court Scrutiny
The contest features candidates vying for four central panel posts: president, vice-president, secretary, and joint secretary. The primary competition for control of the central panel is between the RSS-affiliated Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), the Congress-backed National Students’ Union of India (NSUI), and the AISA-SFI alliance, alongside other independent contenders.
Delhi High Court Issues Warnings and Bans Victory Processions
The 2026 elections proceeded under intense judicial scrutiny following allegations of violence, property defacement, outsider entry into the campus, and the movement of vehicle cavalcades without number plates during campaigning. During hearings on Friday, the Delhi High Court bench comprising Chief Justice D.K. Upadhyaya and Justice Tejas Karia questioned student organizations over violations of Lyngdoh Committee recommendations, asking, Are you people students? You participate in meetings to ensure elections are held as per the Lyngdoh Committee recommendations, and then you do this?
according to The Times of India.
The court permitted voting to proceed but warned authorities that it could stay the counting of votes and the declaration of results if it remains unsatisfied with the actions taken against alleged violations. Furthermore, the High Court ordered a complete ban on victory processions following the announcement of the election results and asked candidates and student organizations to explain why electoral damages should not be imposed for norm violations, as detailed by The Daily Jagran.
Key Manifestos and Central Student Issues
Student safety, accommodation, and campus amenities dominated the election agendas of the major political fronts. The ABVP advanced proposals for a Student Housing Cell, safety audits, a student accommodation helpline, and new girls’ hostels under its My DU, My Manifesto
initiative. Meanwhile, the NSUI campaigned on a platform highlighting hostel provisions, metro concession passes, college-specific grievances, and its My Campus, My Manifesto
outreach.
Beyond major platform pledges, individual colleges reported immediate student concerns ranging from drinking-water availability and unreliable Wi-Fi to affordable food and beverage options, such as demands for accessible Diet Coke in canteens and vending machines during examinations.
Logistics, Security, and Vote Counting Preparations
To manage the election logistics, Delhi University deployed more than 1,000 Electronic Voting Machines across 158 polling booths, supported by 12 control rooms. Security measures included dividing the North Campus into five zones and 23 sectors overseen by ACP- and inspector-level officers, with barricades and pickets positioned at college gates.
Following the conclusion of polling, EVMs were secured under police guard and transferred to the Multipurpose Hall at the University Sports Stadium in North Campus. The counting of votes is scheduled to take place at the venue.
