Delhi High Court issues notice on 50% women reservation in DUSU elections

The Delhi High Court has issued a notice regarding a public interest litigation (PIL) that seeks a 50 per cent reservation for female students in the Delhi University Students' Union (DUSU) elections and other affiliated college student union elections.

The petition, filed by advocate Shabana Hussain, argues that while female students comprise approximately 53 per cent of the University of Delhi's population, their representation in elected bodies is disproportionately low. The plea notes that between 2013 and 2024, only eight of the 32 elected DUSU representatives were women, and no woman has served as DUSU President since 2009.

A division bench comprising Chief Justice-designate Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya and Justice Tejas Karia has sought responses from the Union of India through the Ministry of Education, the University Grants Commission, and the University of Delhi. During the proceedings, the court questioned the legal basis for the request, asking whether a court can create a right through a mandamus in the absence of a specific legal statute mandating such reservations for student elections.