ABVP Sweeps, NSUI Falls Short, Independent Grabs Key Seat: Takeaways from Delhi University Polls

The Delhi University Students’ Union (DUSU) election results for 2026 have produced a four-post central panel in which the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) secured three positions and an independent candidate captured the remaining seat.

ABVP's Yash Dabas was elected DUSU president, while Riya Chhawdi won the secretary post and Lakshya Raj Singh became joint secretary. Independent candidate Deepanshu Shokeen, a former NSUI member, won the vice-president's post.

The results were declared on September 19, 2026, after 20 rounds of counting at Delhi University's North Campus.

1. ABVP wins three of four central posts

ABVP secured the president, secretary and joint secretary positions.

In the presidential election, Yash Dabas received 24,576 votes, defeating NSUI's Vijay Shankar Meena, who polled 22,523 votes. The winning margin was 2,053 votes.

For secretary, ABVP's Riya Chhawdi won with 21,650 votes, while Lakshya Raj Singh secured the joint secretary position with 16,615 votes.

The result means ABVP has again secured three of the four principal DUSU posts.

2. NSUI came close in the presidential race but won no central post

The presidential contest was considerably closer than the final three-post tally might suggest.

NSUI's Vijay Shankar Meena finished 2,053 votes behind Dabas after having led the presidential race during an earlier stage of counting. After the 10th round, Meena had led Dabas by 494 votes, according to contemporaneous counting updates.

However, by the completion of counting, the NSUI candidate had lost the presidential race and the organisation did not win any of the four central panel positions.

This makes the presidential contest one of the most closely watched aspects of this year's result, particularly because the final outcome differed from the lead reported during the middle stages of counting.

3. Independent Deepanshu Shokeen takes the vice-president post

The biggest break from the ABVP-NSUI contest came in the vice-president election.

Independent candidate Deepanshu Shokeen won with 30,615 votes, substantially ahead of ABVP's Ishu Maurya, who received 16,910 votes. NSUI's Vir Chatrath polled 4,313 votes.

Shokeen had previously been associated with the NSUI but contested the election as an independent after not receiving the organisation's ticket, according to reports.

His victory prevented ABVP from taking all four central positions.

4. Turnout crossed 40%

The DUSU election recorded a 40.46% voter turnout among eligible students.

The turnout was higher than the previous two elections, when participation was reported at 29.7% in 2024 and 39.45% in 2025.

More than 1.51 lakh students were eligible to vote in this year's election.

5. The election saw a close presidential contest

The presidential contest remained competitive through much of the counting process.

Early counting had ABVP's Yash Dabas ahead, but by the 10th round NSUI's Vijay Shankar Meena had moved into a 494-vote lead. The lead subsequently changed again before Dabas finished ahead in the final tally.

The final figures were:

CandidateOrganisationVotesYash DabasABVP24,576Vijay Shankar MeenaNSUI22,523

Dabas therefore won the presidency by 2,053 votes.

6. Student issues were central to campaigning

The election took place against the backdrop of concerns about student accommodation, campus infrastructure and women's safety.

The campaign also made extensive use of social media, including Instagram videos, reels and other digital content. Reports during the campaign noted that candidates and student organisations were using online platforms alongside traditional campus campaigning.

The election also followed the September 6 collapse of a building housing a private student hostel in Delhi's Satya Niketan area, in which five students died. Student housing consequently remained an important issue during campaigning.

7. Court restrictions shaped the post-result celebrations

The results were announced under restrictions imposed by the Delhi High Court concerning victory processions.

Officials asked winning candidates and their supporters not to organise victory rallies on or outside the university campus in accordance with the court's directions.

Despite those restrictions, celebrations were reported near the Arts Faculty after the results were announced.

DUSU 2026: Final result at a glance

The four central DUSU positions were divided as follows:

• President: Yash Dabas — ABVP

• Vice-President: Deepanshu Shokeen — Independent

• Secretary: Riya Chhawdi — ABVP

• Joint Secretary: Lakshya Raj Singh — ABVP

The result gives ABVP three central posts, while an independent candidate holds the fourth. NSUI did not win any of the four central positions.

What the DUSU result shows

The 2026 DUSU election produced a mixed picture across the four central contests: ABVP secured three positions, the presidential race remained close, and an independent candidate won the vice-presidency by a substantial margin.

With 40.46% turnout, participation also rose compared with the previous two elections. The final result now sets the composition of the DUSU central panel for the coming term.

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