Doctors call for Transparency, demand online voting for Delhi Medical Council

New Delhi: Following the dissolution of the Delhi Medical Council (DMC) amid allegations of mismanagement and irregularities in its functioning, several doctors in the capital have urged the Delhi government to conduct online elections for the reconstitution of the Council. 

In a letter addressed to the Delhi Health Minister, Dr Pankaj Kumar Singh, the Federation of All India Medical Associations (FAIMA) highlighted that the recent dissolution of the Delhi Medical Council has left a gap in representation and regulatory oversight. The association stressed the need for reforms but pointed out that past elections lacked transparency, accessibility and participatory voting mechanisms.

FAIMA noted that many resident doctors, postgraduate trainees, and young practitioners working long hours in hospitals, particularly in government setups, struggle to vote in offline elections due to their demanding schedules. This, they said, leads to poor representation of young doctors in the council.

Also read- DGHS to Handle Doctor Registrations in Delhi

"A large proportion of resident doctors, postgraduate trainees, and young practitioners are unable to exercise their voting rights due to the demanding nature of their duties in hospitals, especially in government setups where continuous patient care is a priority. This not only deprives them of their fundamental right to participate in the democratic process of electing their council representatives but also results in skewed representation that does not reflect the aspirations and concerns of the younger generation of doctors," FAIMA stated in the letter. 

In view of this, the association has appealed to the health minister to ensure that elections for the reconstitution of the Delhi Medical Council are conducted through an online voting system. 

According to the association, the online voting would enable universal participation from all stakeholders, irrespective of duty hours or physical location, enhance transparency and credibility of the electoral process and encourage greater involvement of young doctors and resident doctors, who form the backbone of Delhi’s healthcare infrastructure.

"On Doctor’s Day, when the nation acknowledges the contributions and sacrifices of doctors, it is imperative that we also take concrete steps to empower them with a fair and inclusive system of representation. We request you to kindly issue necessary directions to the appropriate authorities to operationalize an online voting mechanism for council elections, ensuring no eligible doctor is left behind or disenfranchised," pleaded the association. 

The Delhi Medical Council is an autonomous statutory body enacted under the Delhi Medical Council Act 1997 to regulate the practice of the modern system of medicine in Delhi. DMC also ensures that private doctors in the city are following ethical practices. 

It is the only statutory body in Delhi to handle complaints of medical negligence and professional misconduct in Delhi. The council comprises 25 members, including eight elected by around 100,000 registered allopathic doctors in the city, one by the 20,000-member Delhi Medical Association, 10 by medical college faculties, four government nominees, and two former officials.

Medical Dialogues had reported that the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) will now handle the doctors' registration in Delhi. This comes after Lt Governor V K Saxena approved the proposal for the dissolution of the DMC after allegations of irregularities. He also directed the health department to reconstitute the DMC within two months.

Also read- Delhi Medical Council dissolved on orders of LG