Domination of money, muscle, masculinity, caste persist in DUSU elections

New Delhi: As the election season sweeps across the University of Delhi, the campuses are buzzing with vibrant display of democracy. Roads are littered with pamphlets, walls plastered with posters, and the air is filled with the sound of dhol walas, drumming up enthusiasm. But behind the festive façade of the Delhi University Students' Union (DUSU) elections lurks a more troubling narrative—one dominated by caste, muscle power, and flagrant violations of election regulations.

From the North Campus to the South, and extending to off-campus colleges, Delhi University finds itself draped in campaign banners, flyers, and a parade of luxury vehicles.

A white Rolls Royce, proudly displaying the license plate "DL Ronak Khatri," cruises through the streets, followed by a fleet of SUVs and jeeps bearing the banners of NSUI candidates. The show of opulence, particularly for student elections, highlights the intersection of money and power in these contests.

With a day or two before polling, university administrators and Delhi Police officers are on high alert, closely watching for violations of the poll code. Yet, the sight of roads blocked by campaign parades, aggressive poster wars, and chaotic traffic jams suggest that oversight is lax and the rule of law hangs by a thread.

Caste politics and dominance

Beyond the chaotic streets and campaign excesses, there’s another, more systemic issue that pervades DUSU elections: caste dominance.

A close examination of the electoral panels from 2011 to 2023 reveals a consistent pattern—the president and key office bearers have almost always belonged to the dominant Jat or Gurjar communities, two groups with significant influence in the Delhi-NCR region.

"Jats and Gurjars have more of a voice in DU because they hail from NCR," says former DUSU president Shakti Singh, who calls himself the “only Rajput president” in recent memory. This regional clout often gives candidates from these communities an edge, perpetuating a cycle where caste continues to play a deciding role in student politics.

In last year's election, both the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) and the National Students’ Union of India (NSUI) fielded candidates exclusively from these two dominant castes.

The ABVP ticket for president went to Tushar Dedha, a Gurjar, while NSUI nominated Hitesh Gulia, a Jat, for the same post. The vice-presidential and joint secretary roles also followed this caste-based pattern.

“Although DU attracts students from across the country, tickets are often awarded to local candidates from Delhi’s influential Jat and Gurjar communities. This trend can only change if minority and women’s colleges are fully integrated into the electoral process," said a student from CLC preferring to stay anonymous.

Despite having a voter base of 1.5 lakh students across 52 colleges, only about 40% cast their votes. With such a low turnout, the system remains entrenched, leaving little room for candidates from marginalised backgrounds to gain a foothold.

The Lyngdoh Committee ignored

The unchecked influence of money and muscle in the DUSU elections stands in direct violation of the Lyngdoh Committee’s recommendations, which were designed to curb these very issues.

Introduced in 2007, the recommendations include capping campaign expenditures at Rs 5,000 per candidate and banning the use of printed posters, banners, and other promotional materials.

However, these rules are widely flouted. In fact, the last serious attempt to enforce the guidelines was in 2009 when the university disqualified six candidates for distributing pamphlets and organising rallies without permission. Since then, enforcement has all but vanished.

Proctor Rajni Abbi admits that taking action is difficult. “Students often use fake names on posters, making it hard for the administration to hold them accountable. While we work closely with Delhi Police and the MCD, the scale of violations is overwhelming,” she stated.

An official from the Proctor’s office disclosed that over 50 FIRs were registered last year for illegal poster campaigns, yet these cases are routinely forgotten once the elections conclude. The impunity with which candidates operate underscores a system that thrives on money, masculinity, and political clout, leaving no space for genuine democracy.

Shedding light on another prominent and ongoing issue, a student of Ramjas College said on the condition of anonymity that the "distribution of alcohol, not publicly but delivered directly to the flats or hostels of students to lure them into voting in favour of certain candidates, can also be seen.” This practice, which adds yet another layer of corruption, exposes the extreme lengths to which candidates will go to secure votes.

The four pillars: Money, muscle, masculinity, and caste

The ongoing DUSU elections rest on four pillars—money, muscle, masculinity, and caste. These forces drive the campaigns, overshadowing any hope for a fair and inclusive election. The lack of stringent oversight and the administration's reluctance to enforce the rules perpetuate a culture where hooliganism, caste-based discrimination, and violence against marginalised communities are normalised.

Instances of blocking traffic for campaign rallies, forcibly entering women’s colleges, and intimidating caste and gender minorities have become distressingly common. “A free and fair election is the dream,” remarks one student, “but the reality is far from it.”

A way forward

Amid the ongoing chaos and violations, many students choose to remain bystanders, feeling disconnected from a process that seems far removed from the democratic ideals it claims to represent.

But the need for change is undeniable.

Transforming the DUSU elections into a truly democratic exercise will require more than just reforms on paper. It will demand unification across colleges, stricter enforcement of rules, and a shift away from the entrenched dynamics of money and caste politics.

Until then, the DUSU elections will continue to mirror the darker aspects of India’s larger political landscape—where democracy is overshadowed by deception, and power lies in the hands of the few.