The Delhi High Court on Wednesday sought a response from Delhi University on a plea alleging that candidates who won the Delhi University Students’ Union (DUSU) elections violated the court’s recent direction prohibiting victory processions.
The court noted that all DUSU candidates had already been issued show-cause notices pursuant to its earlier order, including those who won the elections. A division bench comprising Chief Justice D.K. Upadhyaya and Justice Tejas Karia was hearing an application moved by petitioner Prashant Manchanda, who appeared in person. Manchanda alleged that despite the court’s clear direction, some winning candidates took out victory processions after the election results were declared, amounting to contempt of court. The court had also directed that no victory procession be taken out after declaration of the election results by candidates, students, supporters or anyone else, either on Delhi’s roads or inside university campuses and hostels. Delhi Police was made responsible for ensuring compliance, with the court stating that any violation could invite criminal and administrative action and amount to contempt of court. The court had questioned how such activities were permitted despite deployment of police personnel and had directed that criminal action already initiated by Delhi Police be taken to its logical conclusion.
The fresh hearing came days after the bench, on September 18, had issued notices to all student organisations and the 140 candidates contesting the DUSU elections, asking them to show cause why they should not be saddled with exemplary electoral damages for alleged violations of the Lyngdoh Committee recommendations and earlier judicial orders.
The court, however, said the issue was not merely about drums or celebrations but about the display of money and muscle power.
The bench directed Manchanda to include all relevant material relating to the alleged violations in the dossier to be prepared and filed before the court. During the earlier proceedings, the High Court had expressed concern over alleged hooliganism, use of cavalcades and other violations during the election campaign.
