The DUSU election result 2026 is out. The Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) has won three of the four central panel posts at Delhi University, while independent candidate Deepanshu Shokeen won the vice-president race. The Congress-backed National Students' Union of India (NSUI) did not win any of the four central posts.
ABVP's Yash Dabas was elected president after a closely fought count, Riya Chhawdi won secretary and Lakshya Raj Singh won joint secretary. Voting took place on September 18 and counting concluded on September 19.
DUSU election result 2026 winner list
President: Yash Dabas (ABVP). Vice-President: Deepanshu Shokeen (Independent). Secretary: Riya Chhawdi (ABVP). Joint Secretary: Lakshya Raj Singh (ABVP).
Dabas received 24,576 votes in the presidential contest, beating NSUI candidate Vijay Shankar Meena, who received 22,523. The final margin was 2,053 votes after a contest in which the lead changed during counting.
Shokeen produced the clearest result among the top contests. Reported final figures put him at 30,615 votes, 13,705 ahead of ABVP candidate Ishu Maurya on 16,910. NSUI's Virr Chatrath finished behind them with 4,313 votes.
ABVP keeps control of three central posts
The result preserves ABVP's strong position in Delhi University's central student body. The organisation secured the presidency, secretary and joint secretary positions, but Shokeen's independent victory prevented it from sweeping all four posts.
NSUI, meanwhile, finished without a central panel seat despite running a competitive presidential campaign. Meena was ahead during parts of the count before Dabas moved in front in the later rounds.
Why Deepanshu Shokeen's win stands out
Shokeen's vice-presidential victory is one of the election's biggest storylines because he contested as an independent and won by a wide margin. Multiple reports describe him as a former NSUI member who contested independently after not receiving the organisation's ticket.
His win gives the new central panel a 3-1 split rather than complete control by one student organisation, making the vice-president's office an important independent voice in the coming term.
Turnout reached 40.46%
The 2026 DUSU election recorded a turnout of 40.46%. More than 1.5 lakh students were eligible to vote across Delhi University. Twenty candidates representing ABVP, NSUI, the AISA-SFI alliance and independents contested the four central positions.
The campaign unfolded amid heightened attention on student housing, campus infrastructure and safety. Those issues became particularly sensitive after the recent Satya Niketan building collapse, which killed seven people, including Delhi University students.
Headline Thread's report on the Satya Niketan hostel collapse and structural-audit questions explains the incident that pushed accommodation safety higher on the campus agenda.
What the new DUSU leadership is promising
After winning, Dabas said safety audits of paying-guest accommodation, hostels and colleges would be a priority. Chhawdi also highlighted women's safety, PG audits and campus security among the issues she intends to pursue.
Student concerns also extend beyond campus administration to employment outcomes. A recent NITI Aayog report on degree-to-job links has added to the wider debate over how universities prepare graduates for work.
What happens next
The result settles the four central DUSU posts for the 2026-27 term. Attention now shifts from the campaign to whether the elected panel delivers on safety, student accommodation, campus services and other promises made during the election.
The political takeaway is also clear: ABVP retains control of three key offices, NSUI leaves the central panel without a seat, and Shokeen enters as an independent vice-president with the largest winning margin among the prominently reported contests.
