The two principal groups – National Students’ Union of India (NSUI) and Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) – saw sharp exchanges between them.
NSUI accused ABVP of “vote manipulation” at Kirori Mal, Hindu, and Hansraj colleges. NSUI president Varun Choudhary alleged that the “RSS-BJP backed ABVP is attempting to undermine the democratic spirit of DU elections” and demanded rejection of ABVP’s presidential nominee, Aryan Mann.
#WATCH | DUSU Elections 2025 | National President of the National Students’ Union of India (NSUI), Varun Choudhary says, “The atmosphere is good, but police and ABVP goons are openly roaming around here, harassing students. I haven’t seen such an atmosphere in my last 15 years of… pic.twitter.com/Q5nZh6RXnU
— ANI (@ANI) September 18, 2025
The ABVP rejected the charges, describing them as “frustration” on the rival’s part. ABVP Delhi Secretary Sarthak Sharma said, “The NSUI is no longer in the race for second but struggling for third place.”
He added that the group was “blaming EVMs like the Congress does after every loss,” as per PTI.
Former DUSU President Ronak Khatri along with outsiders forcibly entered Kirori Mal College during elections. A female student alleged assault. ABVP has filed complaint with police. NSUI members are rattled & know they are losing all 4 seats.#DUSU2025 pic.twitter.com/VI1tBBXrkD
— ABVP (@ABVPVoice) September 18, 2025
ABVP supporters also alleged that current DUSU President and NSUI leader Ronak Khatri entered Kirori Mal college with outsiders.
Khatri posted a video on X (formerly Twitter), countering that the “ABVP is pressuring students to cast their votes” and alleging “vote theft on campus since morning.”
आज सुबह से कैंपस में वोट चोरी का मामला है। छात्रों पर दबाव बनवा कर वोटिंग करवा रही है ABVP।#dusuelection2025 pic.twitter.com/mS3wL72nss
— Ronak Khatri (@ronak_khatrii) September 18, 2025
He later shared another video alleging an outsider woman student charging on him physically.
ये लड़की ख़ुद KMC कॉलेज की छात्रा नहीं है और कॉलेज के अंदर घुस कर मुझ पर हाथापाई करने का प्रयास किया और पिछले साल मिरांडा के बाहर भी हाथापाई की।#DusuElections2025 pic.twitter.com/fv6mSN1VjX
— Ronak Khatri (@ronak_khatrii) September 18, 2025
Voter turnout 35% till afternoon
The elections witnessed 35% turnout till 2:30 pm. Chief Election Officer Raj Kishore Sharma said that data received from seven colleges indicated that trend was consistent with previous years, reported news agency PTI.
Polling is being held in two phases, from 8:30 am to 1 pm for day scholars, and from 3 pm to 7:30 pm for evening classes. Around 2.8 lakh students are eligible to vote, and the results will be announced on September 19.
At Miranda House college, over 60% of its 5,000 students had already cast their votes, marking one of the highest participants across the North Campus, as per PTI.
Carnival-like atmosphere
Beyond the contest, Delhi University’s North Campus resembled a festival ground. Campaign vehicles, drummers and handouts like vada pav coupons and discount slips turned the day into a celebration.
Convoys of SUVs and motorbikes cruised past polling booths, while bundles of pamphlets and even fake ₹500 notes marked “Children Bank of India” were flung into crowds, briefly tricking onlookers into thinking that they had struck gold, as per PTI.
Security remained tight across the university with over 600 police personnel, 160 body cameras, and drones deployed to maintain law and order.
Despite the allegations, many students described the polls as their first brush with democracy, comparing the atmosphere to larger state and national elections.
