DUSU Elections 2017: Exercise Your Voting Right, Official Urges Students

The Delhi University Chief Election Officer (CEO) on Saturday appealed to the varsity students to turn up in large numbers to cast their votes on September 12 -- the day students' union election takes place.

CEO SB Babbar said students must proactively exercise their voting right, since the representatives thus chosen were not only their voice but their reflection as well.

"As sensitive and mature students, you should understand that your representatives are not only your voice but your reflection too," Mr Babbar said in a statement.

"(Y)ou must express your choice by exercising your voting right to elect responsible and responsive representatives, who can act as an effective interface between you and the administration, besides ensuring a peaceful environment, conducive for academic and professional development," he added.

The CEO further quoted former President APJ Abdul Kalam, according to whom the voting is a "sacred right and onerous responsibility", which the citizens owe to their "motherland".

"The University is your "alma mater", a Latin phrase, which translates to a nourishing/ kind (alma) mother (mater)". Won't you care for your 'mother' that intellectually nourishes you or will you take that day as another holiday?" he urged.

The reason behind the appeal, as noted by the CEO, is continuously low turnout in the previous Delhi University Students' Union (DUSU) elections.

He observed that only one-third of students had turned up in the elections conducted during the last few years.