Ankiv Baisoya was elected DUSU president on September 13
DUSU secretary Aakash Choudhary, from the NSUI, Friday submitted a memorandum to the Vice-Chancellor asking for fresh elections. The NSUI and AISA also held a joint press conference, in which they said the university had two options — fresh elections or giving the president’s post to the runner-up — NSUI’s Sunny Chhillar.
The NSUI argued for Chhillar taking up the position of DUSU president, citing the Representation of People’s Act 1951. However, former advisor to the Election Commission, S K Mendiratta, told The Indian Express that the Act was not applicable to universities. The AISA has demanded that criminal proceedings be initiated against Ankiv Baisoya for submitting a forged marksheet, and against the Buddhist Department HoD for “deliberately delaying” the probe.
Choudhary wrote, “As per the clause 17 of the sub-clause 1 (i) of the constitution of DUSU, the president of the union will be the chief executive head of the union and will function in all matters relating to the union in accordance with this Constitution. Now, in absence of the president, we will not be able to run the union properly. So please kindly arrange to conduct the fresh election for the post of president, DUSU.”
AICC in-charge from NSUI, Ruchi Gupta, cited Section 101 of the Representation of People’s Act 1951, to argue that Chhillar be declared the winner as Baisoya had indulged in “corrupt practices”.
However, Mendiratta said that the RPA was “only applicable on elections to the Parliament and State Legislature”. Gupta, however, said there was no clarity in LCR on what happens if candidate’s nomination is held invalid, and hence, RPA should be looked at for “logic and precedent”.