Doctors' body urges Maharashtra Medical Council to reschedule elections, Add more voting centres

Mumbai: In a recent move aimed at ensuring greater participation from medical professionals, the Association of Medical Consultants (AMC) has urged the Maharashtra Medical Council (MMC) to reschedule the upcoming elections, currently slated for April 3, 2025. The doctors have requested that the elections be held on a Sunday or a public holiday to better align with their demanding work schedules.

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According to the news reports, in a letter addressed to the returning officer for the upcoming MMC elections, the Association of Medical Consultants (AMC) has requested the establishment of additional election centres or the introduction of online voting. The AMC highlighted that the majority of doctors face intense professional commitments.

The majority of doctors have "demanding professional commitments, including hospital duties, private practice, and emergency medical services," and cannot take a long break from their work schedule on a weekday.

AMC doctors also emphasized that in cities like Mumbai, the issue is more pronounced due to the heavy traffic congestion that is common on weekdays. They pointed out that previous elections were held on Sundays, which improved voter turnout.

Furthermore, with more than 14,500 medical consultants and 1,000 nursing home owners as members, the AMC has requested the council to increase the number of voting centres in cities such as Mumbai, Pune, and Nagpur.

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Speaking to the TOI, the AMC members said, "Alternatively, please explore the possibility of online voting, similar to how several medical associations and professional bodies now conduct elections."