A petition has been filed in the high court against Delhi University's decision mandating a bond of ₹1 lakh from students contesting union elections from this year.

Two members of the All India Students Association (AISA), who filed the plea in Delhi High Court, have sought a rollback of the notification issued by DU on August 8.

The Delhi University Students Union (DUSU) conducts elections for four key positions — president, vice-president, secretary and joint secretary. The university has said the move is a preventive measure against property defacement during campaigning.

AISA on Monday said the matter had been listed for hearing on Tuesday. AISA and the Students' Federation of India (SFI) have been opposing the DU decision.

Last year, the high court had reprimanded the university authorities for failing to prevent defacement of walls during DUSU elections and disallowed announcement of results till the walls were cleaned.

At a media conference on Monday, AISA member Anjali said attacks on student unions were a regular affair under the current regime. “From one university to another, we have seen systematic attempts to silence democratic spaces. Today, DU has also taken an undemocratic step, hiding behind the language of curbing money and muscle power, while in reality imposing conditions that alienate and exclude vast sections of students,” she said.

Abhishek Kumar, a student of Hindu College and an AISA member, said the DUSU or any student union must have full freedom of expression, not bound by bank balance.

The petitioners have contended that DU’s decision contravened the Lyngdoh Committee recommendations on student union elections, which emphasised accessibility and minimal expenditure.

The SFI will also file a petition against the directive, its state committee president Sooraj Elamon said. “The decision is discriminatory. It will deny a fair opportunity to poor students to take part in the elections,” he added.