Tamil Nadu Medical Council Elections: Madras HC issues notice to State, NMC on plea demanding online polls

Chennai: The Madras High Court has sought the response of State Government and the National Medical Commission (NMC) in a plea alleging corruption in the conduct of Tamil Nadu Medical Council (TNMC) Elections.

Filing the plea, a Madurai-based Government doctor S Syed Tahir Hussain has prayed for online polls under the supervision of a retired High Court judge.

Admitting the plea for hearing, the HC bench comprising of Justice R Suresh Kumar recorded the submissions, the Court has issued notice to State and NMC and asked them to file responses in two weeks.

The demand for online voting has been made by Doctors Association for Social Equality (DASE) as well. In this regard, DASE has already approached the State Government and requested to ensure that TNMC polls are conducted fairly. The association also urged to do away with the use of ballot papers and conduct the voting in online manner.

Medical Dialogues had earlier reported that TNMC had earlier informed all the doctors in the State about the upcoming election of the State Medical Council in January/February 2023.

Also Read: Amid Allegations of norms violation in conducting elections, Health Department seeks explanation from TN Medical Council

Announcing about the upcoming election next year, the Council notice stated, "In accordance with the rule 2 in regard to the Elections to the Tamilnadu Medical Council, Chennai under Clause (f) of sub-section (1) of Section 5 of the Madras Medical Registration Act, 1914 (Act IV of 1914) as amended by the Madras Medical Registration (Amendment) Act XVI of 1938, notice is hereby given that an election of Seven members of the Council will have to be held in the month of January / February 2023."

As per the latest media report by DT Text, recently filing a plea before the Madras High Court, a Madurai-based government doctor has prayed for a direction for staying the Gazette notification on October 19 for holding the election using ballot papers.

Requesting the court to conduct the polls online under the supervision of a retired HC judge, the petitioner mentioned in the plea, "There are about 1.5 lakh members associated with TNMC. However, only 50 per cent of them are voting. For the past several decades, a few government doctors with political affiliation alone were coming to power and indulging in corruption. In the Directorate of Medical Education, the in-service doctors ranking from the Associate Professors, HOD, and Dean all are influenced and votes forcibly bought."

The plea also referred to the fact that the ballot papers were clearly misused and stated, "The high-handed candidates send their messengers and collect envelopes with ballot papers from the electors."

The petitioner also referred to the fact that the Indian Medical Council and Indian Anesthesiologist Council are conducting the polls online. 

Meanwhile, the Doctors Association for Social Equality (DASE) has also urged the State Government in this regard and requested to conduct the TNMC elections online. While commenting on it, the General Secretary of DASE, G.R. Ravindranath told The Hindu that the elections should be held in a fair manner after publishing the full voters list.  Opining that polls should not be conducted using ballot papers, he also opined that online voting should be put in place. 

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