New Delhi: Rain played spoilsport in Delhi
University student polls on Friday as a large number of voters
preferred to stay at home leading to a dismal turnout of
slightly over 30 per cent.
Fate of 41 candidates lay sealed as morning colleges where
voting ended at 12.30 pm recorded a vote of 29 to 30 per cent
while evening colleges registered a slightly better turnout of
34 to 36 per cent, officials said.
As the voting opened at 8.30 am, only die-hard supporters
could be seen at the polling stations braving the heavy rain.
However, voting picked up slightly as the day progressed and
rains relented.
The election in the campus has been billed as a decisive
mandate against corruption by groups like BJP`s student wing
Akhil Bhartiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) and the All India
Students Association (AISA).
However, Congress` student group NSUI has been at pains to
make campus issues an agenda, highlighting what they call the
"non-performance" of the past ABVP led unions.
Election observers said the poll had been largely peaceful
with no major complaints being received throughout the day.
"No serious complaints were received, neither from the
police nor from the students. The smaller allegations,
meanwhile, are a matter to be checked," said Dr Satish Kumar,
one of the observers for the polls.
While Ramjas college polled a little over 1,500 votes,
Hansraj saw around 1,461, Hindu college 1,330 while Sri Ram
College of Commerce and Khalsa college polled around 730 and
630 votes respectively.
Earlier in the day as rain drenched the capital hampering
traffic, party activists were seen exhorting students in
hostels to turn up at polling centres.
Delhi BJP president Vijender Gupta and other state leaders
like Arvind Garg and Ajay Chauhan were seen on the campus.
PTI
