Delhi University: The University of Delhi is set to conduct the Delhi University Students' Union (DUSU) election 2026 on September 18, with the counting of votes set for September 19, 2026. Various student organisations have fielded candidates for the key posts, ranging from President to Joint Secretary. While there is a direct political clash between the ABVP and the NSUI, the AISA-SFI alliance is attempting to turn the contest into a three-way race by fielding a joint panel.
Moreover, the presence of rebel NSUI candidates and a visually impaired candidate has introduced new dynamics to the electoral battle.
ABVP's Panel: Athletes, Student Leaders
ABVP has fielded Yash Dabas for the post of President. Dabas completed his undergraduate studies at Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur Khalsa College, Delhi University. An international-level tennis player, he has participated in ITF competitions in Spain, Australia, and Serbia. Yash was selected for the CBSE Nationals, SGFI Nationals, Khelo India, and the All India University Games (2023). Additionally, he has represented Delhi University at the North India University Games. Currently, Dabas is pursuing studies at DU's Department of Buddhist Studies.
For the post of Vice President, ABVP has fielded Ishu Maurya, a native of Varanasi. Ishu graduated from Satyawati College and joined ABVP in 2021. He has been active in debating circles and has served as the President of the Satyawati College (Morning) unit as well as the Co-convenor of 'Students for Seva'. Currently, he is studying law at DU's Campus Law Centre.
Riya Chhawadi is ABVP's candidate for the post of Secretary. Hailing from Modband village in Badarpur, Delhi, Riya comes from a farming family. She studied at Sri Aurobindo College and has played basketball at the inter-college level. She is currently in the fourth year of the BA programme.
For the post of Joint Secretary, ABVP has fielded Lakshya Raj Singh, from the Churu district of Rajasthan. He completed his graduation in Political Science from SGTB Khalsa College. Lakshya is an international-level handball player who has represented India at the Asian Games and World Championships. He has also represented Rajasthan at the National Games and Delhi University at the All India University Games. Currently, he is pursuing law at the Campus Law Centre, Faculty of Law.
NSUI Panel: From Farming Background To Presidential Candidate
NSUI has fielded Vijay Shankar Meena as its candidate for the post of President. As a part of a tribal community and coming from a farming family background, Meena stated that, as the first child from a farming family to pursue this path, he has closely witnessed and experienced the struggles and issues faced by ordinary students. He noted that he has no political background and that NSUI has given him the opportunity to fight for students' rights.
The official NSUI panel includes Veer Chatrath, son of national-level Congress leader Manish Chatrath, for the post of Vice President. Namrata Chaudhary is the candidate for Secretary, and Gopal Chaudhary for Joint Secretary. Notably, all four NSUI candidates are students of the Department of Buddhist Studies. Students from this department reportedly make up the largest share of the total DUSU candidate list this year.
Internal Rebellion In NSUI Stirs Up The Contest
A rebellion within NSUI prior to the election has made the contest more interesting. Candidates who have broken away from NSUI are in the fray for three of the four key posts: Samarth Beniwal for President, Himanshu Shaukeen for Vice President, and Vishesh Yadav for Joint Secretary. The presence of these rebel candidates could pose a challenge of vote-splitting for the official NSUI panel.
However, claims are being made that all is well within the organisation. During a meeting between the IYC and NSUI, NSUI President Vinod Jakhar addressed questions regarding the organization's status and the Satya Niketan incident, asserting that everything is fine. Yet, the entry of rebel candidates into the electoral arena will certainly put this claim to the test.
AISA-SFI Joint Front
Once again, AISA and SFI have decided to contest the election with a joint panel. The candidates are Ananya Raturi (AISA) for President, Akshat Shikhar (AISA) for Vice President, Stanzin Deskyong (SFI) for Secretary, and B Parijat (SFI) for Joint Secretary. Both organisations have described this as a student-led alternative to the politics of money and muscle power.
Ananya Raturi, from Uttarakhand, has been active on campus regarding women's issues. Akshat Shikhar is from Allahabad and was active in protests related to NEET UG 2026. Stanzin Deskyong is a first-year MSc Mathematics student at Hindu College and has previously served as the Vice President of the Ramjas College Students' Union. She belongs to the ST community of Leh-Ladakh and is the first Ladakhi female student to contest the DUSU election.
In the previous election, Abhinandana, a student from the tribal community of the Northeast, secured approximately 9,600 votes for this same post. Meanwhile, B Parijat is a first-year MA English student at Hansraj College and has served as the President of the Literary Society at PGDAV College.
Meet Pankaj Kumar: Visually Impaired Candidate's Campaign For Campus Accessibility
Another significant name in the race for the Secretary post is Pankaj Kumar. An LLB student, Pankaj is reported to be the only visually impaired candidate contesting the Delhi University election. He is running with the support of ASAP, the student wing of the Aam Aadmi Party.
