Kolkata Hospital Doctors Protest Election Duty Assignment by Election Commission
The Election Commission of India has sparked significant controversy by requisitioning 48 senior doctors from the Prafulla Chandra Sen Government Medical College and Hospital in Arambag, West Bengal, for election duty. This unprecedented move has triggered loud protests from hospital officials and the broader medical community, who argue that it will severely cripple essential healthcare services and medical education.
Unprecedented Requisition Disrupts Hospital Operations
The hospital, which serves a wide region covering towns and villages in Hooghly and East Burdwan districts, has a total of 111 faculty members. The doctors on the Election Commission list are all senior faculty members, with fourteen non-medical staff members also requisitioned for poll duty. Hospital administrators and doctors expressed shock upon receiving the notice, noting that this is the first time in decades that medical professionals have been assigned such responsibilities.
"This is the first time in my 25-year career as a faculty member that I have been drafted for poll duty," said a senior faculty member, who requested anonymity. "Patient care services will be crippled if 48 doctors stay away from the hospital. Students will suffer, too, as we are all teachers."
Another faculty member highlighted the critical nature of their work, stating, "Of the eight faculty members in our department, four have been called for election duty. This is unusual. We provide essential and emergency services."
Doctors Designated as Presiding Officers Seek Exemptions
All 48 doctors on the list have been designated as presiding officers for polling booths. Following discussions with principal Rama Prasad Roy, they have formally applied for exemption from poll duty. Principal Roy explained, "I have spoken to the district magistrate, who is also the district election officer. There seems to have been a communication gap that led to this situation. We have been assured that the doctors will be exempted from poll duty."
Hospital administrators could not recall any previous instance where doctors were assigned such election responsibilities. Indranil Biswas, principal of Medical College Hospital Kolkata, commented, "Doctors and other medical staff provide emergency services. So, we do not usually see orders asking them to report for election duty."
Broader Impact on Medical Institutions and Official Responses
The issue extends beyond Arambag, with other medical institutions also receiving requisition notices. At the College of Medicine and Sagar Dutta Hospital in Kamarhati, three clerical staff members have been notified for election duty. Principal Parthapratim Pradhan remarked, "This is the first time I am hearing that doctors are being given poll duty."
When questioned about the notice to Arambag doctors, CEO Manoj Aggarwal stated, "The district election officer has the power to exempt anyone from election duty. This medical service is an emergency duty. They can all be exempted." An Election Commission official shifted responsibility to the state health department, explaining, "We had sought names from government departments before making appointments. The names of these doctors were on the list sent by the health department."
The situation underscores the tension between electoral processes and essential public services, with medical professionals advocating for their primary roles in healthcare and education to be prioritized during election periods.
