New Delhi, August 18: The Delhi University Students’ Union (DUSU) has released the guidelines for the upcoming 2026 elections, scheduled for September 18, with vote counting set for September 19. Candidates must submit their nomination papers by September 13 at 3 PM. The verification of nomination papers will take place until 3:15 PM, and the final list of nominated candidates will be published by 6 PM on the same day.
This year, the university has also issued a code of conduct for the election campaign. Key rules include:
– Only full-time enrolled regular students can contest.
– Undergraduate students aged 17 to 22 and postgraduate students up to 25 years can apply.
– A minimum attendance of 75% is mandatory.
– Candidates must submit a video clip of their election speech, not exceeding 10 minutes, by 2 PM on September 12, 2026.
– After approval from the Chief Election Officer, the video will be uploaded on the university’s website.
– Candidates are permitted to use social media for campaigning instead of printed materials.
– Candidates must not have any pending papers or have failed in the previous year.
– A candidate can contest for a maximum of two terms for the executive member position and cannot run for two positions simultaneously.
– The use of loudspeakers, vehicles, and animals for campaigning is prohibited.
– Candidates are not allowed to use mascots or costumes for representation.
– Only handmade posters are permitted for campaigning, with a maximum expenditure of ₹5,000 per candidate. Campaigning hours are from 8 AM to 8 PM.
– No more than four students can accompany a candidate during campaigning on campus.
– Candidates must obtain an authorized vehicle sticker from the proctor’s office; vehicles without stickers will not be allowed on campus.
– Parking that obstructs traffic is prohibited.
– If any candidate or their supporters are found consuming alcohol or drugs on campus, their nomination may be canceled.
– The university has warned that repeated violations of these rules could lead to the cancellation of the elections.
Additionally, a complaints cell will be established to address issues related to the DUSU elections, chaired by the Dean of Students’ Welfare, and will include a senior teacher, a senior administrative officer, and one male and one female final-year student. Any incidents of misconduct during the elections must be reported to the police within 12 hours.
In a related note, the Delhi Municipal Corporation has estimated that the cost of removing campaign posters for the 2024 DUSU elections will be ₹1 crore, prompting the university to be held accountable for the expenses incurred due to excessive campaigning on public properties.
The Delhi High Court previously halted the counting of votes until the removal of posters and cleaning of public spaces was completed, emphasizing the need for a clean environment before proceeding with the election process.
This year, a ₹1 lakh anti-defacement bond will be implemented for the 2025 elections to ensure candidates are held accountable for any damage caused during their campaigns.