Dhanbad, April 14: The Indian Medical Association (IMA) state chapter has directed all its district branches to conduct organizational elections and submit the names of their council members (voters), paving the way for the upcoming state body elections.
IMA state president Dr. A.K. Singh and secretary Dr. P.K.S. said that the state chapter election is due and can only be held once the updated voter lists from all district branches are received. Citing previous controversies, they emphasized the importance of a clear and unified process.
“In the 2021 elections, disputes arose when two separate voter lists were submitted from some districts—one by the outgoing committee and another by the newly elected one,” Dr. Singh explained. “The issue had to be resolved by the national headquarters in Delhi.”
Elections are due in several districts, including Ranchi and Giridih. Dr. Singh said that fresh voter lists have been requested as some members have passed away or been transferred to other districts. “Just as the electoral roll is updated before every Lok Sabha and Assembly election, we too need an accurate and updated list,” he added.
To ensure transparency, the IMA plans to upload the voter lists on its official website. Members will be allowed to raise objections, if any. “Only after resolving objections will the final list be sent to the national headquarters. Once submitted, no changes will be allowed,” said Dr. Pradeep Kumar Singh.
The IMA state body first issued a written directive to district branches during its executive meeting held in Dhanbad on March 2. A second reminder was sent today. IMA elections at the state and district levels are held every two years.
Objection Raised Over Prolonged Tenure
Meanwhile, some IMA members from Ranchi, Dhanbad, and Jamshedpur have raised concerns over Dr. A.K. Singh’s prolonged tenure as state president, claiming he has held the post for over a decade. “No president before him continued beyond two terms,” said one member, requesting anonymity.
Responding to the allegations, IMA coordinator and former national vice-president Dr. Ajay Kumar Singh said that the IMA is a democratic organization and has no fixed term limits. “As long as a person continues to win elections, they can stay in office. For example, Dr. Gulam M. Mallik has served as IMA president in Jammu & Kashmir for decades,” he said.
