NEW DELHI: With an all-time high voter turnout this year, the Delhi University Students' Union (DUSU) elections on Friday saw around 53-55 per cent students casting their votes using the newly introduced Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) to elect new office bearers.

The University for the first time used 755 hi-tech EVMs installed in 52 colleges spread over 120 booths. Except for some frantic last-minute campaigning by the contesting candidates and reports of a minor altercation between students and the police at the Law Faculty in the early hours, the entire polling process went off peacefully without any untoward incident, according to Delhi University Proctor and Chief Election officer Gurmeet Singh.

The entire campaign was marked by high-pitch canvassing by the student leaders for their respective candidates and a variety of methods used by the students' organisations to attract the attention of the voters.

While polling booths were set up and opened by 8-30 a.m., things stated picking up only an hour later.

However, polling picked up at noon with many first time voters enthusiastically queuing up to use the EVMs and cast their ballots.

A minor malfunctioning of an EVM set off an altercation at the Law Faculty. The situation was, however, brought under control immediately after the intervention of the authorities. Polling ended at 7-30 p.m., with counting scheduled to be taken up on Saturday and the results to be declared the same day.

A total of 44 candidates are in the race for the posts of president, vice-president, general secretary and joint secretary in the crucial DUSU elections he outcome of which is being watched eagerly by all political parties.

Students' organisations including the NSUI and ABVP are the main contenders for the four posts and have undertaken hectic campaign to woo the voters. The campaign also witnessed senior Congress and BJP leaders throwing their weight behind the entire process in order to gain an upper hand and influence the students to vote.

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