HC reserves order on plea for re-election of DUSU chief

The Delhi High Court on Tuesday reserved order on a plea accusing Ankiv Baisoya of submitting fake educational certificates to get admission in the university and seeking re-election for the post of President of the Delhi University Students' Union (DUSU).

Justice Yogesh Khanna reserved the order on National Students' Union of India (NSUI) candidate Sunny Chillar's plea seeking to conduct fresh DUSU election under an independent election officer or an appropriate authority "of impeccable character and integrity".

Chillar, in his plea, has sought action against Baisoya for using forged certificate for securing admission in the varsity.

Baisoya, of the Department of Buddhist Studies, defeated Sunny Chhillar of Shivaji College by a margin of 1,724 votes on September 12.

On November 14, the DU expelled Baisoya for submitting fake documents from Thiruvalluvar University at Vellore in Tamil Nadu to secure admission in the university.

Baisoya, on Facebook on November 15, said he was resigning from his post. Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), the student group to which he belonged, too, suspended Baisoya on November 15, asking him to step down from the DUSU post.

Additional Solicitor General Pinky Anand told the court that if any major office-bearer's post falls vacant only two months after the elections, the Vice President may be promoted to the post of President, as per the recommendation of Lyngdoh Committee.

The Lyngdoh Committee says that in the event of the office of any major post of office-bearer falling vacant within two months of elections, re-elections should be conducted; otherwise, the Vice President may be promoted to the post of President and Joint Secretary to the post of Secretary, as the case may be.

Chillar's counsel P. Chidambaram told the court that the DU dragged the issue till November 12 to avail the second part of rule of Lyngdoh's recommendation.

He requested the court to order fresh elections as the recommendation is silent on this issue.

The court also observed that the Lyngdoh's recommendation is silent over the issue of conducting an inquiry after more than two months of the elections taking place.

Recently, the NSUI had challenged the genuineness of Basoya's graduation marksheet on the basis of a letter -- copies of which were circulated in the media -- apparently written by the Controller of Examination of the Thiruvalluvar University that dismissing as "fake" the document bearing that university's stamp and logo.

Baisoya, along with two others of his group, had won the posts of DUSU President, Vice President and Joint Secretary.

--IANS

akk/nir