MTA ELECTIONS | Prez accuses RO of breaching Const, asks Principal GMC to seize records

JAMMU: The credibility of Medical Teachers Association (MTA) elections in Government Medical College and Hospital (GMC&H) has came under suspicion, even before being conducted, as MTA President has accused Returning Officer Dr Zahid Gillani of manipulating process and breaching the constitution of the body, asking Principal Dr Sunanda Raina to take over the records from Gillani on the ground of ‘his bad intentions’.

The incumbent MTA President Dr Sunil Kotwal, in a letter, vide No 32/MTA/2018 dated 14/6/18 addressed to GMC Principal, raised fingers on the election process, which was to be conducted on June 16.

In the letter having ‘Sabotaging of MTA elections and creating unrest amongst the faculty’ as its subject, Dr Kotwal said that the Returning Officer-Dr Zahid Gillani, is going beyond the constitution of the MTA elections hence the records from him should be taken over.

The letter came a day after Dr Gillani, instead of holding elections, constituted a Governing Council.

Dr Gillani, allegedly did not even display the names of the contestants, besides, resorting to the tactics of lingering the MTA elections on, Dr Kotwal said.

“Being Returning Officer, Dr Gillani has the responsibility to hold elections in fair and democratic manner. But he, in violation of the MTA norms in constitution, is lingering on with the process of elections in the shape of constituting governing body which is beyond his capacity,” said MTA President, adding that, following the negative role of Dr Gillani, the MTA executive members have requested the Principal GMC to take possession of all the relevant documents of the ongoing MTA election process 2018-19 into her safe custody.

The Principal GMC&H Dr Sunanda Raina did not respond the phone calls for her comments when contacted by this scribe.

However, Dr Gillani, when contacted about the issue, said that the MTA was neither a registered body nor has it any affiliation; hence, no question arises about the violation of its constitution.

“Since the MTA is an independent body consisting of senior faculty members and HoDs, Principal GMC has no role to perform into its functioning or proceedings,” he further said.

As thing unfolds, Dr Ashutosh Gupta , HoD, Radiology GMC Jammu was nominated as Returning Officer on 17 January this year after refusal to accept the post by Dr Shashi Gupta, Dr Ghanshyam Gupta, and Dr Zahid Gillani- the trio senior to the former.

Dr Ashutosh Gupta, as Returning Officer, had issued election notice scheduled to be held on 12 March.

However, before the election could be conducted, Dr Zahid Gillani took over the charge of Returning Officer from him and fixed the election date on 16 June.

However, later, he issued a letter postponing the elections till the vacations ended with the direction to form Governing Council consisting of some HoDs.

Pertinently, the MTA elections are held for the post of President Secretary, Vice President, General Secretary, Joint Secretary, Publicity Secretary and Treasurer with four executive members amongst the 4-tier faculty including two Professor, two Associate Professor, two Assistant Professor and two lecturers. The eligible voters include all ranks of in-service faculty members provided they are on the pay-roll of accounts section of GMC & Associate Hospitals.