DUSU polls: Only 39.69 per cent voter turn out in morning colleges

Delhi University Students' Union polls saw a turnout of 39.69 per cent in morning colleges, down over four notches from last year.

Last year, the morning colleges had witnessed 43.8 per cent turnout while the overall voting percentage was 44.46 per cent.

In 2017, the overall voting percentage was 42.5 per cent while it was 36.9 per cent in 2016.

Some student leaders attributed the low turnout to the holidays while some teachers felt that students have developed a disenchantment with politics.

"Tuesday was a holiday on account of Muharram and many students have gone home. They treated the voting day as a holiday, which might have been the reason for the low turnout," a professor said.

A former poll committee member said the trend indicates students' disinterest in politics.

"Currently, the students' union elections of colleges are also held simultaneously with the students' union polls. In case the college union elections are not held with the students' union, the turnout will be lower."
A student, on the condition of anonymity said, "I do not know who are the candidates for the political parties but I know the candidates who are in contention at the college level. For the central panel posts, I pressed NOTA. My college representative will take up the issues of the college."