Lyngdoh panel too strict, say student leaders

Although implemented with a view to keep money and muscle power away from campus elections, the Lyngdoh committee recommendations have left student parties fighting the DUSU polls unhappy as they feel the expenditure limit is unrealistic.

The committee headed by former Chief Election Commissioner J M Lyngdoh had in 2005 recommended a cap of Rs 5,000 on election expenses per candidate besides formulating other rules and regulations for cleaning up campus politics.

In 2006, the Supreme Court had directed that these recommendations be implemented.
“The limit needs to be revised,” said Amrish Ranjan Pandey, spokesperson of the Congress-affiliated National Students’ Union of India (NSUI).

Echoing his thoughts, Akhil Bhartiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) National Secretary Rohit Chahal said, “There are over 50 colleges to campaign in. An amount of Rs 5,000 is not sufficient to manage even the petrol expenses, forget running a full-fledged campaign.”

It is not the spending cap alone which is a cause for dissatisfaction as some other recommendations of the committee have come in from criticism from student leaders.
No printed pamphlets are allowed as per the guidelines and parties are supposed to use only handmade posters for campaigning.

DU authorities, however, claimed that strict vigil was on to check the use of printed posters and said that anybody violating the code of conduct would be penalised.

“Pasting posters on the walls across the city comes under the Defacement Act of Delhi,” said D S Rawat, the Chief Election Commissioner for the DU Students’ Union polls.