SUBHASH MISHRA
Dhanbad, Dec 31: The nomination of Dr. Amrendra Prasad, Vice-President of the previous Jharkhand Health Services Association (JHSA) committee, for the president’s post, has sparked controversy ahead of the JHSA elections, scheduled for January 20.
Dr. Prasad submitted his nomination late Monday evening, the final day of filing, setting up a contest against Dr. Bimlesh Kumar Singh.
Objections Over Dr. Prasad’s Candidacy
Some JHSA members have raised objections to Dr. Prasad’s nomination, demanding its cancellation due to the government’s suspension of him on alleged corruption charges. The allegations are reportedly linked to the Mamta Vahan scam.
Chief Election Commissioner of JHSA, Dr. Lal Majhi, acknowledged receiving a complaint regarding Dr. Prasad’s eligibility. However, he clarified that the JHSA by-laws do not explicitly address whether a suspended member can contest elections.
“A four-member committee, including myself, Dr. Pankaj Kumar, Dr. R.K. Singh, and Dr. Vikash Kumar Gupta, will meet on January 4 to decide on the complaint against Dr. Amrendra Prasad,” said Dr. Majhi.
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Constitutional Ambiguity on Suspension and Eligibility
Dr. Sumant Mishra, the founder president and secretary of JHSA, noted that the association’s constitution lacks clarity on whether a suspended medical officer can contest elections.
“If consulted, I would recommend issuing a show-cause notice to Dr. Amrendra Prasad and deciding only after reviewing his response,” Dr. Mishra suggested.
Dr. Prasad’s Defense
When contacted, Dr. Amrendra Prasad dismissed the allegations as baseless, claiming his suspension had already been revoked by the health department following the health minister’s recommendation.
He criticized his opponents, alleging that a “syndicate” within JHSA was spreading rumours to prevent him, as the senior-most medical officer in the state, from contesting the election.
“I am eligible to run for president. Instead of creating confusion and filing baseless complaints, people should check the health department’s notification for clarity. I am determined to contest the election and foil their conspiracy,” said Dr. Prasad.
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Protest Over Vice-President Nomination
Separately, JHSA members from Ranchi have protested against the nomination of Dr. Md. Shamim Akhtar for the Vice-President (Headquarters) post.
Members argued that Dr. Shamim, currently posted in Gola, Ramgarh district, is ineligible to contest for the Ranchi headquarters seat. Instead, they claimed he should have filed his nomination for the North Chhotanagpur Division seat.
Dr. Shamim had previously served as Joint Secretary from the headquarters seat in the outgoing committee, further fuelling the debate.
The controversies surrounding these nominations have heightened tensions in the run-up to the JHSA elections. The election committee’s upcoming decisions will likely have a significant impact on the association’s leadership and future direction.
