The Delhi High Court halted the counting of DUSU election votes, set for Saturday, until defacement materials like posters and graffiti are removed. The court stated that the vote counting can proceed only after public property is restored. New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Thursday halted the counting of votes of DUSU elections, which are scheduled on Friday, till all the defacement material, including posters, hoarding and graffiti, is removed and public property is restored.
A bench of Chief Justice-designate Manmohan and Justice Tushar Rao Gedela said the election process may proceed but the counting of votes will not take place till the court is satisfied that defacement of property has been removed. The counting of votes was to be held on Saturday. “This court directs that the elections process may proceed yet no counting of votes shall take place either on Delhi University (Students’ Union) elections or on college elections till this court is satisfied that posters, hoardings, graffiti, spray paints are removed and public property is restored,” the bench said.
It directed the varsity to file a fresh status report and to ensure that EVMs and ballot boxes, to be used in the Delhi University Students’ Union (DUSU) elections, are kept secured in a safe place till further orders. The court also directed the Delhi University (DU) to pay the expenses incurred by the civic authorities, including MCD and Delhi Metro, in removing the defacement and added that the varsit.