New Delhi: Around 42 per cent students on Friday exercised their franchise in the keenly contested Delhi University Student Union elections which were dominated this year by issues such as right to accommodation, women security and transport problems faced by the varsity students.
The Chief Election Officer for DUSU elections, D S Rawat, said the voting went off peacefully with 43.2 per cent of students casting their vote in the morning leg of polls.
"The elections in the morning from 8.30 AM to 12.30 PM went off smoothly. Minor glitches were reported in the EVM machines at 4-5 polling centres but were rectified soon.
"The university had deployed 26 observers who visited the 50 centres where the polling took place in teams of two to check violations of code of conduct. DU administration had also installed CCTV cameras besides hiring commercial videographers to record election activities to ensure free and fair polling," he added.
The voting percentage for evening college students, which took place from 3 PM to 7 PM in the second leg, will be declared later in the night.
The counting of votes will be taken up tomorrow after which the results will be declared, Rawat said.
According to Deputy Commissioner (North Delhi) Madhur Verma, the polling went off peacefully and no incidents of violence were reported.
"A huge contingent of police was deployed at various polling centres of the university to ensure that no untoward incident takes place. The movement of vehicles was also restricted on Chatra Marg in North Campus to avoid any chaos or discomfort to students. The polling was peaceful," he said.
Over one lakh students were eligible to cast vote in the DUSU polls for the four crucial posts -- the President, Vice President, Secretary and Joint Secretary.
Seven candidates each for the posts of President and Joint Secretary; 6 for the post of Vice President and 8 nominees for the post of Secretary are in the poll fray.
