DUSU polls: Delhi HC threatens to stay vote counting over violence; teachers allege assaults

Students affiliated with the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) and Fraternity Movement engage in a scuffle during campaigning ahead of the Delhi University Students’ Union (DUSU) elections at the North Campus of Delhi University, in New Delhi, on September 16, 2026. | Photo Credit: PTI The Delhi High Court on Thursday (September 17, 2026) cautioned that it could stay the counting of votes and declaration of results of the Delhi University Students’ Union (DUSU) elections if it was not satisfied with the action taken by the authorities over alleged violence and hooliganism during the campaign.The warning came after the court was informed of alleged violence, vandalism, entry of outsiders and other violations during campaigning, which ended on Wednesday (September 17, 2026). Voting is scheduled for Friday (September 18, 2026) and counting for September 19.A Bench comprising Chief Justice D.K. Upadhyaya and Justice Tejas Karia directed Delhi Police and Delhi University to submit status reports by Friday and asked lawyers representing various student organisations to appear before it.“No excuses will be accepted by the court. We are making it very clear that though we are not staying the election or postponing the election, if we are not satisfied by your action, tomorrow we can pass harsher orders, including staying the counting and declaration of results,” the Bench said.The court said criminal conduct could not be justified in the name of democracy and called the material before it indicative of a “complete failure” by the authorities and students.Campus violenceA group of Delhi University teachers has written to Vice-Chancellor P.C. Joshi seeking urgent intervention against alleged assaults, threats and misconduct towards teachers, following an incident at Motilal Nehru College (Evening) in which a teacher was allegedly assaulted by a group of students during the DUSU election campaign.According to the teachers, the group of students attempting to enter the college for campaigning allegedly assaulted a teacher who tried to stop them. The students have not been identified, and their organisation is unclear.The teachers called the incident “a matter of serious concern” and said similar instances of threats, intimidation and physical altercations involving teachers and students had been reported across the university. Published - September 18, 2026 01:27 am IST