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By:

Quaid Najmi

4 January 2025 at 3:26:24 pm

HC orders fresh elections in three months

Dr. Rumi F. Beramji Mumbai: In a jolt, the Bombay High Court has directed the state government to hold elections to the Maharashtra Council of Acupuncture (MCA) - which is managed by an Administrator for past three years – within three months, here on Friday. A division bench of the Bombay High Court (Aurangabad Bench) comprising Justice Ajit Kadethankar and Justice Vibha Kankanwadi were disposing off a petition filed a senior medical practitioner, Dr. Laxman Bhimrao Sawant through his...

HC orders fresh elections in three months

Dr. Rumi F. Beramji Mumbai : In a jolt, the Bombay High Court has directed the state government to hold elections to the Maharashtra Council of Acupuncture (MCA) - which is managed by an Administrator for past three years – within three months, here on Friday.   A division bench of the Bombay High Court (Aurangabad Bench) comprising Justice Ajit Kadethankar and Justice Vibha Kankanwadi were disposing off a petition filed a senior medical practitioner, Dr. Laxman Bhimrao Sawant through his lawyer Sharad V. Natu, seeking different reliefs.   These included alleged serious irregularities in the functioning of the MCA and challenging the continuation of the Administrator for a prolonged period pending the elections. The matter was highlighted in detail by  ‘ The Perfect Voice’   on April 21.   Strong Observations In its order uploaded today, Justice Kadethankar and Justice Kankanwadi noted the petitioner’s contentions that the Administrator, Dr. Rumi F. Beramji was appointed for only one year, and that period is over.   “It should be the endeavour of the State to implement the various provisions of the Act, that is, the Maharashtra Acupuncture System of Therapy Act, 2015. Holding of elections and formation of the council as per Section 3 of the said Act should be adhered to by the State Government and it cannot be then postponed in infinity,” said the court.   Accordingly, Justice Kadethankar and Justice Kankanwadi directed the state government, through the Medical Education & Drugs Department (MEDD) to conduct the MCA elections within a period of three months.   Prolonged Tenure Among other things, the petitioner had termed the appointment and prolonged tenure of former MCA Chairman Dr. Rumi F. Beramji as “illegal and arbitrary,” and detrimental to the cause of Acupuncture.   Elected as the inaugural head (May 2018-May 2023) of the five-member statutory body, Dr. Beramji, was subsequently appointed its Administrator after the MCA’s term expired.   Adv. Natu pointed out that the Administrator’s appointment was intended to be a stop-gap arrangement for one year to facilitate the polls, but it was subsequently ‘extended’. However, nearly three years later, Dr. Beramji continued without fresh elections being conducted, raising questions over adherence to statutory norms and principles of governance.   Directionless Members Dr. Sawant further contended that while Dr. Beramji was installed as Administrator, the remaining members of the council were effectively superseded, leaving the regulatory body without its mandated collective structure, and over 6500-members directionless.   He argued that the excuse cited for delay in conducting elections was ostensibly an incomplete voter list, but this reason was flimsy considering the extended time lapse.   The petition, which was heard and disposed of on April 22, also levelled serious allegations against the style of functioning of the MCA Administrator, decisions were taken unilaterally, whimsically and without transparency or institutional accountability.   Selective Targeting It also made accusations of ‘selective targeting’ of certain prominent members who attempted to raise valid issues, including the globally-renowned noted acupuncture expert Dr. P. B. Lohiya of Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar.   Other members raised doubts over approvals granted to more than a dozen acupuncture colleges and some two dozen Continuous Acupuncture Education (CAE) centres in undue haste, purportedly in violation of prescribed norms and alleged shady deals. Many of these institutions, it was claimed, either exist only on paper or lack essential infrastructure, faculty and facilities.   The petitioner called for a comprehensive review of the Administrator’s tenure, a financial audit of the MCA's affairs, and an independent probe by the MEDD into the approvals granted to the institutions in recent years.   Dr. Sawant had sought quashing Dr. Beramji’s appointment as MCA Administrator and setting aside all policy decisions taken during his tenure in the last three years, and ordering the government to hold elections to the body.

Four ex-Mumbai mayors in fray

Mumbai: The upcoming BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections are all set to witness interesting contests as four formers Mayors of Mumbai are locked up in interesting fights which promises to be the toughest one in their political career.


All four are veterans in the BMC…Shraddha Jadhav, Kishori Pednekar, Vishakha Raut and Milind Vaidya who have stood out among their peers for decades and headed various civic committees apart from being the First Citizen of this metropolis. They all are contesting from Shiv Sena (UBT) party headed by Uddhav Thackeray.


Take the case of Shraddha Jadhav, who has been a corporator from 1992 onwards and is contesting for her 7th term. Standing from ward number 202 in Parel, Shraddha is being challenged by Shiv Sena (UBT) activist Vijay Indulkar who is standing as a rebel. After Shraddha’s candidature was announced last week, 128 local Sena office bearers resigned in protest, which was shocking considering that this area is considered as a Sena citadel right from 1970’s. The BJP side is represented by Parth Bavkar, who is a close confidant of popular Wadala legislator Kalidas Kolambkar and there is fear that Parth may sail through if votes are split between Shraddha and Indulkar. Indulkar accuses Shraddha of neglecting this area. “She has undertaken no developmental work in this constituency and the people are against her,” said Indulkar. Shraddha however dismisses Indulkar’s claim as baseless. “This is plain jealously and an attempt to defame our family. If I don’t work how did I get elected from the last 6 terms? I am confident of winning for the 7th term,” countered Shraddha. She was the Mayor of Mumbai from 2009 to 2012.


The second high profile battle is ward number 191 which encompass areas like Siddhivinayak Mandir and Shivaji Park. Here veteran corporator Vishakha Raut who has also served as Dadar legislator is pitted against Priya Sarvankar, daughter of former legislator Sada Sarvankar. Vishakha who served as Mumbai’s Mayor during 1997-1998 is representing Shiv Sena (UBT) while her rival Priya is contesting from Shiv Sena (Shinde) faction. Priya calls Vishakha a failure. “She has been an inaccessible corporator and citizens were left to fend for themselves from the last eight years. People want a young face to represent them,” said Priya. Vishakha Raut laughs down Priya’s claim saying Shiv Sena has a legacy of doing people centric activities from this belt. “We have served the Dadar citizens for decades and this relationship is familial. What are Priya’s achievements except praising her father’s work who was incidentally with our party only,” said Vishakha.


In her neighbourhood, Kishori Pednekar who the mayor from 2019 to 2022 is fighting from ward number 199 at Worli area. The local Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) activists are angry with her for bad mouthing their leader Raj Thackeray during her tenure as Mayor. In addition, a section of her own party are also up in arms against her. However Pednekar downplays the incident. “If I have said anything wrong about Rajsahjeb, I apologise for the same. Currently both Raj and Uddhav are our leaders and we are fighting the elections under their leadership,” said Pednekar. She had enlisted the help of senior MNS leader Bala Nandgaonkar to convince the local MNS cadre to work for her.


The fourth incumbent Milind Vaidya who served as Mumbai Mayor during 1996-1997 had to shift his ward and is contesting from ward number 182 at Mahim from number 183. He is being challenged by BJP candidate Rajan Parkar, who is popular figure from this constituency.

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