DUSU Election 2026: Dates, key candidates, issues and history of Delhi University Students Union

Delhi University is in full political mode as student union (DUSU) elections, scheduled for next week, have set the stage for a contest among major student groups, including ABVP, NSUI, SFI and AISA.The polling for the 2026-27 academic session will be held on September 18, and the counting of votes will take place on the same day, according to a notification issued by the university.The last date for filing nomination papers has been fixed as September 10. Candidates can submit their papers, along with a ₹500 demand draft and affidavits, till 3 PM that day. Scrutiny will be held at 3:15 PM, followed by the publication of the list of duly nominated candidates by 6 PM.Candidates can withdraw their nominations till noon on September 11, and the final list will be published by 5 pm.What are the voting timings?Students attending day classes will vote between 8:30 AM and 1 PM, while those attending evening classes will vote from 3 PM to 7:30 PM.The university had earlier appointed Raj Kishore Sharma from the Department of Chemistry as the chief election officer and librarian Rajesh Singh as the chief returning officer for the 2026-27 polls.The appointments, notified on August 5, marked the beginning of preparations for the annual elections. The vice-chancellor made the appointments in his capacity as patron of the Delhi University Students' Union (DUSU).Closely-watched contestThe DUSU polls are among the country's most closely watched student elections and traditionally witness intense contests between the RSS-affiliated Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), the Congress-backed National Students' Union of India (NSUI), the Students' Federation of India (SFI), and the All India Students' Association (AISA).The upcoming polls will be closely watched against the backdrop of last year's results, when the ABVP won three of the four central panel posts.What happened in 2025?In 2025, the ABVP won three of the four Delhi University Students’ Union (DUSU) central panel posts, while the National Students’ Union of India (NSUI) secured oneThe RSS-affiliated ABVP won the posts of president, secretary, and joint secretary, while the Congress-backed NSUI secured the post of vice president.ABVP's Aryan Maan won the president's post with 28,841 votes, defeating NSUI's Joslyn Nandita Choudhary by more than 16,000 votes. SFI-AISA candidate Anjali polled 5,385 votes, while 3,175 students opted for NOTA.The NSUI secured the vice-president's post, with Rahul Jhansla polling 29,339 votes to defeat ABVP's Govind Tanwar by nearly 9,000 votes.ABVP candidates also won the secretary and joint secretary posts. Kunal Chaudhary secured the secretary's post with 23,779 votes, while Deepika Jha won the joint secretary's post by defeating NSUI's Lavkush Bhadana by 4,445 votes.More than 59,000 votes were cast for each of the four central posts, according to the DUSU election committee.ABVP won 6 of 10 electionsOver the past decade, the ABVP won the DUSU president's post six times, while the NSUI secured it twice, in 2017-18 and 2024. Elections were not held for two years during the COVID-19 pandemic.Last year's election process was smoother than the previous year, with fewer instances of defacement and smaller victory processions. Chief Election Officer Sharma had described the conduct of the polls as "very smooth and satisfactory", with a voter turnout of 39.45 per cent.The 2026 elections will be conducted in accordance with the DUSU Code of Conduct, its Constitution, and the relevant directions of the Supreme Court, Delhi High Court, and the National Green Tribunal.Who are the key candidates?The ABVP has announced a list of 13 probable candidates for the upcoming Delhi University Students’ Union (DUSU) elections.The names are: Alok Attri, Ayushi Sharma, Ishu Maurya, Krishna Yadav, Lakshya Raj Singh, Nitin Tanwar, Priyanshu Mahamana, Riya Chhawri, Riya Malik, Sunny Dedha, Tanya Mavi, Varun Yadav, and Yash DabasWhat is different this time?-Removal of ₹1 lakh security bond: This year, the ₹1 lakh security bond that was introduced last year has been removed.The bond had been introduced as a measure to deter property defacement but faced criticism from student groups over the financial burden it placed on candidates.Under the revised system, candidates found to have violated campus rules may face disciplinary action, including disqualification, rather than monetary forfeiture.-Campaign convoys limited: The university has tightened restrictions on campaign convoys. Rallies have been limited to a maximum of five vehicles per candidate.Election stickers bearing candidates’ names or party symbols are not permitted on cars, buses, jeeps, auto-rickshaws or e-rickshaws. The use of heavy machinery, including tractors and JCBs, as well as animals for campaigning, has also been prohibited.-Promotional giveaways restricted: The Delhi University administration has also restricted campaign stalls and promotional giveaways. Candidates will not be allowed to distribute freebies, souvenirs or branded merchandise to attract voters. Branded temporary structures, such as canopies, umbrellas, and booths, bearing a candidate’s name or ballot number, will also not be permitted on campus.-EVM may be introduced: Delhi University is planning to introduce electronic voting machines (EVMs) for students’ union elections at individual colleges during the 2026-27 academic session across colleges. This step will be introduced to bring greater uniformity in the voting process across the colleges and phase out the paper-ballot-box system.What are the issues in this DUSU election?As Delhi University gears up for elections, students are putting forward a mix of everyday campus demands and more light-hearted election wishes—from functioning water coolers and reliable Wi-Fi to better college fest line-ups and even discounted Diet Coke.For Sri Venkateswara College fresher Ronil Batra, the priority is a canteen upgrade, with affordable Diet Coke high on his list. He wants the drink to be made available at discounted rates in college canteens or through vending machines, particularly during the exam season.“Diet Coke is basically the drink of Gen Z and the fuel during exam season,” Batra told Hindustan Times. “Give us Diet Coke and see how our productivity doubles.” He adds that candidates who make it happen would “instantly” get his vote.For Kirori Mal College fresher Gayatri Dave, the focus is on college festivals and their promised headline acts. She wants fest committees to bring in artistes that students are genuinely excited to watch, rather than performers who fail to draw crowds.“Every year college fest committees promise a ‘big surprise artiste’,” Dave was quoted as saying by HT, adding that students should get a lineup “we’re excited to skip classes for.”At Gargi College, the demand is more basic: access to clean drinking water. First-year student Sanya says students often struggle to find functioning water coolers, with broken equipment, dirty water and empty dispensers forcing them to buy bottled water between classes.“This isn’t asking for AC classrooms; it’s asking for clean water that works,” she told Hindustan Times. “How is that still up for debate every election?”Reliable campus connectivity is another concern. Deen Dayal Upadhyaya College fresher Kishank Singh says the college Wi-Fi frequently disconnects, forcing students to rely on mobile data during submissions and study sessions.“It disconnects every ten minutes and is basically useless,” Singh says. “Fix this one thing, and honestly, that’s half the manifesto sorted.”Taken together, the students’ wishlist reflects a mix of practical campus concerns and everyday quality-of-life issues. While election campaigns are likely to focus on larger student and political questions, these demands show that for many freshers, the issues closest to home can be just as important when they decide whom to vote for.Hostel accommodationThe lack of hostel accommodation for Delhi University students is back in focus after the tragic collapse of a boys' paying guest (PG) accommodation in the Satya Niketan area claimed six lives.Sven people died, and many others sustained injuries after a 50-year-old multi-storey building near Delhi University's South Campus collapsed this Sunday.Residents said most students staying in the locality were from Kerala, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh and studied mainly at Motilal Nehru College, Atma Ram Sanatan Dharm College and Sri Venkateswara College, all of which are located across the road.Students, political leaders and social media users have questioned why the central university, which has more than 3 lakh students, has hostel accommodation for only about 4,000.History of DUSUThe Delhi University Students Union (DUSU) traces its origins to August 6, 1947, when the university first considered a proposal to create a representative body for its students, just days before India awoke to "life and freedom" at the stroke of midnight.University records show that on August 6, 1947, the vice-chancellor informed the Executive Council that a representative body of students desired to establish a university students' union.The evolution of the students' union over the decades mirrors the changing nature of student politics and representation at Delhi University, news agency PTI said.“The Vice-Chancellor informed the Council that a representative body of students desired to establish a University Union of students. A Committee was to be formed to draw up the necessary constitution and procedure; and he hoped that the Council would be willing to give a small grant of ₹150 to the Union when formally constituted, for its preliminary expenses,” according to the official university document, quoting the minutes of the EC meeting on August 6, 1947 as reported by PTI.On March 27, 1953, the university's Executive Committee considered an application from the University Students' Union for a grant-in-aid. The university had said that they felt the union should make efforts to become self-sufficient, noting that ₹500 had already been given to it that year.Every year college fest committees promise a ‘big surprise artiste’; we should get a lineup we’re excited to skip classes for.Several decades after that first proposal was placed before the Executive Council, DUSU has grown into one of the country's most prominent student representative bodies, with its elections drawing national political attention and producing leaders who have gone on to play significant roles in public life.(With agency inputs)