DUSU Elections 2026: Delhi HC Says Anyone Can Stand As ₹1 Lakh Surety, Not Just Parents Or Guardians, For Poll Candidates

New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Thursday said that not just parents but anyone who is in a position to pay Rs 1 lakh, as per a Delhi University requirement, can stand as surety for candidates contesting the upcoming DUSU elections.

The court passed the order while dealing with a petition filed by AISA activists Ananya Raturi and Akshat Shikhar against an affidavit prescribed by the Delhi University Students' Union (DUSU) election committee, which says the candidates must obtain their parents' or guardians' consent to their candidature, along with a Rs 1 lakh surety from them.

Justice Jasmeet Singh said, “The condition is fair and reasonable except that the bond need not only be given by the parents and can be given by anyone, including a guardian who is in a position to pay Rs 1 lakh and stand as a surety.”

“Don’t let your parents give it (surety), but anyone who has the financial means can pay,” the court said.

It also observed that during the elections, the situation is chaotic and the condition of the walls at every college is pitiable.

According to the plea, the affidavit requires the parent or guardian sponsoring the student's education to stand as surety for the payment of Rs 1 lakh in case of violations of election-related guidelines by the candidates or their supporters.

The candidates are required to provide bank account details of themselves and their parents or guardians as part of the undertaking.

The university authorities, however, said the move had been in place for the 2025 elections as well, and no changes have been made this year.

The counsel for DU said the impugned condition has only been put in place to prevent any damage to property, including walls of the colleges, which after every election are left in a state of disarray.

He said the purpose of furnishing the bond by parents is only to ensure that some solvent person is in a position to pay the amount in case the candidate is found violating the terms of the undertaking.

The DUSU elections are scheduled to be held on September 18, with results expected on September 19.

The All India Students' Association (AISA) has alleged that the requirement undermines the autonomy of adult students and could prevent the students, particularly women and those who are financially independent of their families, from contesting the polls.

“Students who come to the university are autonomous adults who, if they so choose, can contest for office without the need for any consent from any authority whatsoever,” the left-wing student organisation said in a statement.

It also alleged that the requirement could disproportionately affect women students whose political participation may be restricted by their families.

The students' body criticised the Rs 1 lakh indemnity requirement, claiming that such conditions were making the DUSU elections increasingly inaccessible to students without financial or political backing.

The affidavit for the 2026-27 DUSU elections states that candidates must undertake to indemnify the university or their college by paying up to Rs 1 lakh for violations of applicable guidelines, including defacement of university, college or public property during campaigning.

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