Ahead of Delhi University Students’ Union (DUSU) polls on September 3, the National Students’ Union of India (NSUI) has announced that it will reserve a seat each for an SC/ST and woman candidate.The DUSU elections will see contestants running for president, vice-president, secretary and joint secretary.
The move is unprecedented, especially since DU students have of late shown a tendency to vote individuals based on their caste and regional identities.
?We know it is a risky move. However, someone had to take the initiative against caste politics. We are attempting to democratise the DUSU election,? said NSUI national president Hibi Eden.
Also from this year, instead of being nominated, candidates for the four DUSU posts will be chosen by an electoral college of NSUI delegates from various Delhi University institutions.
?Nominations are to be filed by aspiring candidates on Sunday. About 400 delegates from various DU colleges will vote for their candidates on Monday,? said NSUI general secretary Mohd Shahnawaz Choudhary, who looks after the Delhi State Unit. The last date for filing nominations for the DUSU elections is August 24.
The delegates were chosen last November when the elections to the NSUIs Delhi state unit had taken place. An observer from the J M Lyngdoh-headed Foundation for Advanced Management for Election, which supervises NSUI and Youth Congress elections, will be present during the Monday’s election.
However, the delegates will elect four individuals without recommending who will run for which office. A committee formed by the NSUI will have the final say on the matter. The current DUSU, with Manoj Choudhary as the president, has girls occupying the three other positions.