NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court on Monday directed Delhi University to securely keep the electronic voting machines (EVMs) used in the students' union election on a plea moved by three candidates of Congress-backed National Students' Union of India (NSUI) challenging the poll results. The court also ordered the varsity to secure poll trials and other documentation.
In the plea moved, candidates Sunny Chhillar, Meena and Saurabh Yadav alleged the EVMs were tampered with and questioned how "privately procured" could be used in the polls held on the September 12. Justice Siddharth Mridul, besides directing the university, also sought a response from the chief electoral officer appointed by the varsity, Ministry of Human Resource Development, Election Commision of India and the three Akhil Bhartiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) candidates who won the elections.
The election of Delhi Unversity's student union announced on September 13 night were marred by controversy. The counting of votes remained suspended for nearly five years following a studentuproar over "faulty EVMs" used. The ABVP bagged three posts in the election and the NSUI won one.
The NSUI alleged "votes were being displayed for Secretary post on ballot number 10. There is no ballot number 10, NOTA the last ballot was on ballot number 9", hinting at EVMs malfunctioning. The office of the Chief Electoral Office on Thursday, in its clarification, had said that the machines used in DU students' union polls were not allotted by Election Commission but were "procured privately".