Archive · 19 Sep 2026
DUSU Election 2026 Counting Begins as ABVP Leads Key Posts
Students at Delhi University voted to choose their student-union leaders.
Counting began on Saturday after voting ended on Friday.
Early results showed ABVP ahead for president and secretary.
Independent candidates were ahead for the other two main posts.
The president race was close between ABVP and NSUI candidates in the first round.
Students discussed high rents, unsafe or unavailable hostels, transport costs and campus facilities.
Safety was an important concern after a building collapse in Satya Niketan killed seven people.
Reports gave slightly different turnout figures, ranging from 39.77 per cent to 40.46 per cent.
The Delhi High Court said there could be no victory processions after the results.
ABVP led the president and secretary races after the first round, while independents led vice-president and joint secretary.
ABVP’s Yash Dabas led the president race with 1,305 votes, ahead of NSUI’s Vijay Shankar Meena with 1,191.
Reported turnout differed by source: one report said 39.77 per cent, while another reported 40.46 per cent.
The election focused on accommodation, hostels, safety, student welfare, facilities, food, transport and administrative accessibility.
The Delhi High Court banned victory processions, while police and paramilitary forces were deployed across university campuses.],
- Who
- Delhi University students, with ABVP, NSUI, the AISA-SFI alliance and independent candidates contesting the four central posts.
- What
- The 2026 Delhi University Students’ Union election votes were being counted, with ABVP leading two posts in early results.
- When
- Voting took place on Friday, September 18, 2026, and counting began at 8 a.m. on Saturday, September 19.
- Where
- Delhi University’s North and South campuses in Delhi, with counting held at the Multipurpose Hall.
- Why
- The results will determine the DUSU panel for the 2026-27 academic session and indicate which groups best addressed students’ concerns.
ABVP and allied position
NSUI, Left alliance and opposing claims
Election outcome
ABVP and allied position
ABVP said its strong college-election performance gave it confidence of winning all four DUSU central posts.
NSUI, Left alliance and opposing claims
NSUI and the AISA-SFI alliance contested the central posts and sought to challenge ABVP’s campus dominance; early trends showed independents leading two posts.
Campaign and election rules
ABVP and allied position
ABVP alleged that an NSUI worker distributed an incorrect ABVP panel number shortly before voting.
NSUI, Left alliance and opposing claims
NSUI president Vinod Jakhar alleged that a former national secretary of the organisation was detained by police without reason; the High Court separately cited frequent violations of election norms.
Student priorities
ABVP and allied position
ABVP presented its college-election results and campaign as evidence of support among students.
NSUI, Left alliance and opposing claims
Students and rival groups emphasized affordable and safe accommodation, functioning hostels, transport concessions, campus safety and a more accessible administration.
- Early president count
- ABVP candidate Yash Dabas had 1,305 votes after the first round, followed by NSUI candidate Vijay Shankar Meena with 1,191 and AISA-SFI candidate Ananya Raturi with 288.
- Votes counted
- A total of 3,270 votes had been counted in the first round.
- Turnout
- One report recorded 39.77 per cent turnout, while another reported 40.46 per cent; last year’s turnout was reported as 39.45 per cent.
- Polling schedule
- Morning-shift voting ran from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.; voting at evening colleges continued until 7:30 p.m.
- Election equipment
- Of 1,000 electronic voting machines deployed, 960 were used on polling day.
- Security
- More than 2,000 police and paramilitary personnel were reported deployed across the campuses.
- Court order
- The Delhi High Court ordered a complete ban on victory processions after the results.
