In a first, DU to introduce NOTA in student union polls

New Delhi, Aug 22: For the first time, Delhi University has decided to introduce the NOTA option in the student union polls scheduled on September 9.

The decision to introduce the None Of The Above (NOTA) option in the EVMs for Delhi University Students Union (DUSU) polls was taken at a meeting of the election advisory committee.

"DU was the first university to use Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) in the student union polls and from this year we have decided to introduce NOTA as well to give the students a right to reject if they do not find any candidate worthy of the post," DUSU Chief Election Commissioner DS Rawat said.

The election of office bearers of DUSU and members of Central Council, the most keenly contested students' polls in the country, will be held on September nine. The date and venue for the counting of votes will be announced later.

The nomination papers for the office bearers of DUSU are to be submitted to the Office of the Chief Election Officer, DUSU elections 2016-17, latest by September 1.

Nomination papers for the membership of Central Council are to be obtained from colleges/departments or institutions concerned and are also to be submitted by the same date.

The scrutiny of nomination papers will be held on the same day following which the list of duly-nominated candidates will be published, the statement said, adding that candidates can withdraw their nominations till September 3.

The varsity had last week appointed a team of officials including Chief Election Officer, Chief Returning Officer and Returning Officer for facilitating the conduct of the election. DUSU is the representative body of the students from most colleges and faculties.

Apart from DUSU, which is an umbrella council, each college also has its own students' union for which they hold separate elections.

Last year, the DUSU polls were swept by BJP-affiliated Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) trouncing Congress' National Students' Union of India (NSUI) and AAP's Chhatra Yuva Sangharsh Samiti (CYSS) to bag all four positions -- president, vice president, secretary and joint secretary.

Though Delhi University officially does not recognise any political outfit, students who contest the polls are backed by different political parties.

DU has also sent a special request to the political parties to adhere to the rules. "Kindly cooperate in directing the candidates not to use printed posters, deface public property and take out processions without explicit permission of the election officers," the letter sent to all political parties said.

PTI