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.