The Delhi University (DU) management on Thursday asked candidates contesting the DU Student Union (DUSU) election to submit reports on work done to clean up destruction of property by Saturday, officials familiar with the matter said.

The move comes a day after the candidates were divided into five groups, following a meeting between the management and candidates regarding the vote count, which is likely to take place on November 21.

A senior DU official, who did not want to be named, said only four to five candidates turned up for Wednesday’s meeting. “If the same kind of lack of enthusiasm is shown in the defect clearance reports, the university may not proceed with the reckoning on November 21. Only when the university is fully satisfied will the final order of reckoning be given,” the official said. .

The development follows several hearings and directions by the Delhi High Court, which took cognizance of the candidates’ desecration of public property ahead of the DUSU polls. The vote took place on September 27, but the result has been withheld on court orders due to the falsification of property.

On Monday, the Supreme Court allowed the counting of votes by November 26, provided the DU administration is satisfied with the clean-up work of the candidates.

“We had called DUSU candidates to discuss the cleaning and the subsequent counting of votes, after submitting progress reports. The candidates have been divided into groups or clusters, and a group coordinator has been assigned,” said Rajni Abbi, DU proctor.

The five teams will ensure the cleanliness of North Campus, South Campus, Rajdhani College, Zakir Hussain Delhi College and Aditi Mahavidyalaya, and the coordinator will submit cleanup reports with geotagged photographs by 5 pm on Saturday, officials said.

Mitravinda Karnwal, an undergraduate history student from Lakshmi Bai College, who contested for the post of secretary in the DUSU elections, coordinates a three-person group of which she is a part.

“Our group has been allotted the area near Aditi Mahavidyalaya. We have identified three major locations from the list submitted to the court as the main points where public property was destroyed. Our team will conduct a day-long cleaning drive on Friday,” said Karnwal.

Rishab Choudhary, of DU’s Department of Buddhist Studies, who contested for the post of president, said the North Campus has already been cleaned by his 10-member team.

“All defacement has been removed from the North Campus. Remains of posters on walls or perhaps some leftover writing will also be removed by Friday. We are confident that the university will be satisfied with our reports,” Choudhury said.

A third DU official said the university will also pitch. “Once reports from all five teams are in on Saturday, the university will begin inspections at all listed locations starting Sunday. If any remaining defilement is found, we will have people on site who will clean it up immediately,” the official said.

After the first court order to withhold results until desecration is cleaned, DU asked students to take responsibility for the same. The university’s vice-chancellor also took up inspections to ensure that all counterfeiting of public properties was removed. DU officials said they will ensure that all the defacement is cleared before announcing the results.