SUBHASH MISHRA
Dhanbad, June 27: For the first time in 22 years, the president of the Jharkhand Health Service Association (JHSA), the frontal organization of government doctors, would be selected by the ballots in the poll.
So far, right from the first elected JHSA president Dr Sumant Mishra, followed by Dr Praveen Chandra, Dr Jitendra Singh, Rajendra Paswan to the present president Dr Marshal Aind, all were elected unanimously based on the seniority in the service.
In the 2022 election, three candidates Dr Sahir Pall of Jamshedpur, Dr Padam Prakash Sah of Khunti and Dr Mohan Paswan of Sahiganj have filed nominations for the post of president.
Dr Pall and Dr Sah are 1990 batch medical officers while Dr Paswan reportedly belongs to the 2013 batch.
Present JHSA president Dr Marshal Aind (director-in-chief, health) and secretary Dr Bimlesh Kumar Singh both have opted out of the race.
Dr Aind said since he has already retired from service (in March) and is on a six-month extension period he is not contesting again. Dr Bimlesh Singh said it is time for the entry of new people into the organization. So, he sidelined himself after serving for more than 10 years.
A senior medical officer said that by tradition, Dr Krishna Kumar is the senior-most doctor in the state and he should be unanimously made the president. He is also likely to be the next director-in-chief of health on basis of seniority.
“Of course, they approached me and requested to apply but I said that I am not interested. If they want me as the president then elect me unanimously,” said Dr Krishan Kumar.
However, the founder secretary and first elected president of JHSA Dr Sumant Mishra said, “Of course, on the seniority ground, presidents were generally selected unanimously but this is a democracy and everyone has the right to contest.”
Dr Sahir Pall of Jamshedpur said that in the last election too he was contesting for the post of president. All mentors of JHSA promised him for the next election. “So, I am contesting the poll,” he said.
For the post of secretary, Dr Mritunjay K Singh of Chas (Bokaro) and Dr Sidheshwar Baskey of Ranchi are in the race. For the post of treasurer, only Dr Stephen Xess of Ranchi has filed a nomination so far. For one post of state convener, Dr Shamim Akhtar of Ramgarh is in the contest.
For 8 posts of vice-presidents, Dr Meeta Sinha of Ranchi, Dr Bimlesh Kumar (for Kolhan reserved seat) of Jamshedpur, Dr Amrendra Prasad (headquarter seat) of Ranchi, Dr Tannushree Chakraborty (South Chhotanagpur seat) of Ranchi, Dr Rajiv Ranjan (North Chhotanagpur seat) of Chatra and Dr Santosh Prasad (Palamu division seat) of Palamu have filed nomination so far.
For the 7 posts of joint secretary, Dr Vikash Kumar Gupta of Ranchi, Dr Dinesh Chandra Sawaiyan of Chaibasa, Dr Basudha of Ranchi, Dr Rahul Kumar of Hazaribagh, Dr Suresh Kumar Ram of Palamu and Dr Niket Choudhary of Bokaro are in the race.
Chief election commissioner Dr of JHSA Dr Lal Majhi said that so far, no one has filed the nomination for the post of joint secretary for the Santhal Pargana seat. Besides it, no candidate has claimed stake for the post of the dental wing and Santhal Pargana seats of the vice –president.
