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The Delhi University (DU) is set to appeal to the High Court to be exempt from a hefty Rs 1 crore fine imposed by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD). This penalty stems from the widespread defacement of public property during the Delhi University Students’ Union (DUSU) elections in September. The MCD claimed that it incurred this cost for cleaning up the election-related graffiti and posters across the city.
The High Court, in a previous hearing, had instructed DU to compensate for the cost incurred by civic agencies, including the MCD and Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC), for cleaning up the defacement. The court also stated that DU could choose to recover this amount from the contesting candidates if it wished. However, the university's Vice-Chancellor, Yogesh Singh, has stated that DU does not have the funds to cover this substantial amount and that they cannot expect the students to bear the burden. He has emphasized their intent to appeal the court’s decision.
The DUSU polling took place on September 27, but the vote counting scheduled for the following day has been halted by the High Court. The court has insisted that the defacement, including posters, hoardings, and graffiti, be removed and public property restored before the counting can proceed. On Monday, the court reiterated its warning, observing that the defacement remains unresolved and declined to lift the stay on vote counting. It has also requested a fresh status report on the cleaning efforts from Delhi Police and the MCD by the next hearing.
The issue has sparked reactions from various student organizations. The Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), backed by the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), has indicated that they will wait for the court's final verdict before deciding on further legal action. Meanwhile, the Congress' student wing, the National Students' Union of India (NSUI), has expressed concern over the amount demanded by the MCD, calling it excessive. They have appealed to both DU and the MCD to resolve the matter swiftly and fairly. They have also urged authorities to announce the DUSU election results without further delay.
Source: DUSU Polls: DU To Appeal To Court To Exempt Varsity From Paying Rs 1 Crore To MCD