Concerns Mount Over Maharashtra Medical Council Elections
Mumbai: With the upcoming Maharashtra Medical Council (MMC) elections drawing near, concerns are growing among doctors regarding the fairness and transparency of the process.
The MMC, a quasi-judicial body that regulates the medical profession and holds the power to suspend or revoke doctors' licenses, is facing legal scrutiny over its electoral procedures.
A medical practitioner from New Panvel has filed a petition in the Bombay High Court challenging the state medical education department, the MMC, and returning officer Shilpa Parab on various grounds, including the preparation of the electoral list and the returning officer's eligibility, reports Times of India.
The petition raises multiple concerns, including the preparation of the electoral list and the eligibility of the returning officer. Citing Rule 6 of the MMC regulations, the petitioner argues that the returning officer must hold a position no lower than that of an undersecretary to the government. Additionally, the petition demands the inclusion of doctors whose registrations have not been renewed.
Dr. Suhas Pingle, a former elected member of the MMC, had flagged similar concerns in mid-January when the election process was first announced. He wrote to the former and newly appointed Director of Medical Education and Research (DMER) Secretaries but reportedly received no response. The controversy surrounding the election process has sparked unease among medical professionals, who are calling for greater transparency and adherence to regulations to ensure a fair and democratic election, reports the Daily.
Previously, the council officially announced elections to select nine new council members. The elections will take place at each district headquarters under the supervision of the District Collector on Thursday, April 3, 2025, from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM.
Medical Dialogues had earlier reported that around 70,000 doctors in Maharashtra would be ineligible to vote in the upcoming Maharashtra Medical Council (MMC) elections due to the non-renewal of their licenses. Several doctors urged the MMC to allow them to participate in the elections while permitting late renewal of registration. Despite demands to waive the renewal requirement for election participation, MMC officials maintained that doctors had been sent multiple reminders to renew their registration on time.
