The Delhi High Court on Wednesday refused to remove the interim stay on counting of votes in Delhi University Students' Union (DUSU) elections saying that it will allow counting when the defacement of public property done by the candidates is cleaned up.
Earlier, the bench stayed the counting of votes for the elections of the Delhi University and other colleges in the wake of candidates indulging in acts of vandalism and defacement of public properties. The court directed the applicants who were also election candidates to get the defaced walls repainted and produce photographs of the same in court.
Ask Candidates Campaigning In Bentleys To Bear Costs
A division bench comprising of Chief Justice Manmohan and Justice Tushar Rao Gedela asked one of the candidate who had moved a petition seeking counting to be allowed to convince the rich candidates who were campaigning in Bentleys. The high court said please convince them to spend some money on repainting.
The court further remarked that elections are a festival of democracy and not for money laundering.
"How the posters and stickers were being thrown over there in the air. I have not even seen this in a general election. What is happening is the student election….You as candidates must correct the system...You will tell the other followers of yours that please don't do this, please clean up the university...Who will pay this bill?” the bench remarked.
When the counsel appearing for the two candidates who moved the high court that not all the candidates were indulging in defacemnet and vandalism, the high court said that then they must convinve the rich candidates.
Clean Up Defacements, Will Allow Counting Of Votes The Very Next Day
The high court told candidates thet if they get it cleaned, it will allow the counting to take place the next day.
The Delhi High Court on September 26, stayed the counting of votes for the ongoing Delhi University Students' Union (DUSU) elections till the court is satisfied that posters, hoardings, spray paints and graffiti done by the candidates are removed and public properties are restored.
A division bench comprising Chief Justice designate Manmohan and Justice Tushar Rao Gedela directed that no counting of votes shall take place till the high court is satisfied that the posters, spray paints and graffitis are removed and public properties are restored.
The high court pulled up the Delhi University (DU) over candidates indulging in acts of vandalism and defacement of public properties while campaigning for elections.
Earlier, MCD had submitted in the high court that from September 13 to September 25th, the civic body removed over 16,000 boards, two lakh posters and pamphlets and 28,500 banners in total.
The high court ordered that the expenses incurred by the civic bodies shall be paid by the DU. However, the court said that the DU can recover the same from the respective candidates in accordance with the lyngdoh committee recommendations.
The high court allowed the election process to proceed ahead, but said that no counting of votes shall take place either of the Delhi University elections or of the colleges till this court is satisfied that the posters, hoardings, graffitis, spraypaints are removed and the public properties are restored.