DUSU Election 2026: First Round Sets the Pace as Yash Dabas Takes Early Lead
New Delhi: Delhi University Students’ Union Election 2026 has begun its counting process, with students getting a glimpse of what the contest was like in its first round. ABVP presidential candidate Yash Dabas leads the early presidential race, closely followed by NSUI candidate Vijay Shankar Meena, while the Left alliance candidate Ananya Raturi trails them, based on early counting trends reported on September 19.
The counting began at 8 AM on September 19 at the Multipurpose Hall of the University Sports Stadium of Delhi University’s North Campus. The result will determine the composition of the DUSU central panel for the 2026–27 academic session.
Important: These are early-round figures and will not be the final DUSU Election 2026 result. Counting is still ongoing.
DUSU Election 2026: Yash Dabas Leads Presidential Race
The first round has seen ABVP’s Yash Dabas lead the presidential contest and NSUI’s Vijay Shankar Meena follow him. Left alliance candidate Ananya Raturi (of the AISA-SFI alliance) is also in the fray. There is a minor discrepancy in early media reports about Dabas’s first-round vote count. PTI-based reports carried by Careers360 and ABP Live reported 1,305 votes, while an Indian Express update later reported 1,503 votes. The ordering of the leading candidates remains the same in both reports. So it is safer to mention the early lead instead of an individual vote figure with counting still ongoing.
What Happened in the Other DUSU Posts?
The first round has also seen changes across the remaining central-panel positions. According to the PTI-based first-round figures:
- Vice-President: Independent candidate Deepanshu Shokeen was ahead, while ABVP’s Ishu Maurya and NSUI’s Veer Chatrath followed.
- Secretary: ABVP candidate Riya Chhabri was ahead of NSUI’s Namrata Chaudhary.
- Joint Secretary: ABVP’s Lakshya Raj was ahead of NSUI’s Gopal Chaudhary, with independent candidate Vishesh Yadav also in the fray.
The figures are provisional as counting is ongoing.
DUSU Election 2026 Counting: Security Remains Tight
This year’s counting is happening under heightened security measures. More than 2,000 police and paramilitary personnel have been reported to have been deployed around Delhi University, while barricades, pickets and patrol teams are being used around key campus locations.
Delhi University has also issued advisories concerning traffic movement around the campus during the election and counting process. The university’s official website has published notices covering the counting venue, candidate lists, election arrangements and traffic restrictions related to the 2026–27 DUSU elections.
Student Issues Remain at the Centre of the Election
Beyond the numbers on the counting tables, the DUSU election has highlighted several student issues. Issues raised during campaigning included student welfare, campus infrastructure, hostel and accommodation facilities, and student safety – with the concerns gaining much more attention after the recent collapse of a PG building in Satya Niketan which caused deaths, including students, according to reports.
The campaign also increasingly played out on social media, with candidates and student organisations using videos and digital campaigns in parallel with traditional campus outreach.
What Happens Next in DUSU Election 2026?
The first round is only an early peek. Further rounds of counting will determine the final winners for the four central-panel positions, along with college union representatives.
Students following the results should distinguish between:
- First-round trends
- Interim counting figures
- Final declared results
- The eventual composition of the DUSU 2026–27 panel
Delhi University election authorities and the university’s notices remain the appropriate sources for final declarations and election-related notifications.
Final Thoughts
The first round of DUSU Election 2026 has seen Yash Dabas lead the presidential contest, but there is much more to come. With several rounds of counting ahead, the eventual DUSU panel will be clear only after the final votes have been counted and declared.
For students, the significance of the election goes further than who is leading the counting table and issues like safe accommodation, accessible campus facilities, student welfare and a more inclusive university environment are key parts of the discussion around student representation.
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