New Delhi, Delhi University has issued strict directions to all college principals to prevent defacement of property during the upcoming student union elections in line with a Delhi High Court order.

In a circular dated August 27, the university asked principals to act as “anti-defacement heads” for their respective campuses and ensure that posters, banners, wall writings and hoardings are not permitted within or around college premises.

The move follows a 2018 High Court order, which was reinforced in 2024, mandating stringent measures against defacement of public and private property. The university has also constituted a University Committee for Prevention of Defacement of Property (UCPDP) to oversee compliance across all campuses.

The panel, notified on August 18, includes Delhi University (DU) Estate Officer Prof Bipin Kumar Tiwary as the vice chancellor’s nominee, senior faculty members, and Delhi Police, Delhi Metro Rail Corporation and municipal representatives.

Each college has been asked to constitute a committee including a senior faculty member and the station house officer of the local police station to monitor poll-related activities.

The committees have been tasked with organising sensitisation workshops, creating “walls of democracy” for posters, and coordinating with police and civic bodies to check unauthorised campaign material.

The university has also directed that nomination forms must have a written undertaking from candidates stating that they and their supporters will not indulge in defacement and that any violation will attract possible disqualification.

“These measures emphasise accountability and prompt action. Continuous vigilance is mandatory to safeguard our shared spaces and uphold the principles of responsibility and respect that define our university community,” the circular stated.

The Delhi University Students’ Union (DUSU) elections for 2025-26 are scheduled to be held on September 18 and votes will be counted the next day.

Last year, the Delhi High Court withheld the counting of votes for the DUSU elections over the defacement of public property during the election campaign.

It allowed the counting of votes to go ahead only after the defaced public properties were cleaned up, saying its intention was to “reform, not punish”.

In a notification issued on August 8, DU directed DUSU poll candidates to submit a bond as a preventive measure against property defacement during campaigning.

Besides the bond rule, the guidelines mandate anti-defacement affidavits from students at the time of admission to university, limiting campaign posters to designated “walls of democracy”, and prohibiting canvassing through rallies, roadshows, loudspeakers, or ‘shakti pradarshan’.

Candidates must use electronic media for campaigning. Outsiders are barred from the campus during the elections unless authorised, and biometric or facial recognition systems may be installed for entry, according to the university.

DUSU office-bearers are allowed to book only three specific university venues for official programmes and are prohibited from booking university guest houses or maintained hostels. PTI