Jharkhand Health Service Association poll: Voters accuse old committee of violating code of conduct

The election of the Jharkhand Health Service Association (JHSA) has snowballed into controversy within 24 hours of the result announcement.

Some voters and contenders for the president post have alleged that office-bearers of the outgoing JHSA committee promoted Dr PP Shah of Khunti district before the poll and he ultimately won.

In the election across the state which conducted on Sunday, Dr PP Shah was elected as the new president with the highest of 519 votes defeating his nearest rival Dr Shahir Paul of Jamshedpur (168  votes). Dr Thakur Mritunjay Kumar Singh of Bokaro (550 votes) and Dr Shamim Akhtar of Ramgarh (657) were declared the new secretary and convener respectively. A total of 978 voters were polled in the election.

The voters and candidates for the president post alleged that the office bearers of JHSA favoured Dr Shah by including him in the delegation for the meeting on Saturday (August 20) which was convened by Health Minister Banna Gupta at Ranchi one day before the poll. It was a violation of the JHSA polls code of conduct, according to them.

“We have no objection to the participation of Dr Bimlesh Kumar Singh, (JHSA secretary) and Dr Thakur Mritunjay Kumar Singh (state coordinator). But Dr PP Shah was not an office bearer to get a berth in the delegation. It was an apparent bid to promote him by including in delegation at the meeting of health minister,” said the voters.

One of the candidates for president post-Dr Shahir Paul (civil surgeon of Jamshedpur) said that the counting of votes was not done properly. “I got more votes than the election commission has announced. However, I would not make any comment when the result has been declared,“ he said.

Chief Election Officer Dr Lal Majhi when contacted on Monday morning over the allegations of some voters as well as candidates said that he does not know whether participation of a constant in meeting before poll comes under Section of Code of Conduct. “Moreover, no one has lodged a written complaint so far,“ he said.

However, the outgoing secretary of JHSA Dr Bimlesh Kumar Singh justified the inclusion of Dr PP Shah in the delegation before the poll. “Meeting convened by health minister was crucial for government doctors. Since Dr PP Shah was working for the implementation of the Medical Protection Act, the demand for amendment in Clinical Establishment Act and on the issue of the private practice of doctors after duty hours, his participation at the meeting was necessary,” said Dr Bilesh Kumar Singh.

The health minister had invited 5 members each from JHSA and IMA to the meeting. Since JHSA president Dr Marshal Aind has retired from service, Dr Bimlesh Kumar Singh, Dr Thakur Mritunjay Kumar Singh and Dr PP Shah represented JHSA.