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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.

Gender Discrimination in Schemes

Gender Discrimination

Gender discrimination impacts millions of girls and boys around the world, denying them basic human rights like education, income equality, and a life free of violence. But here in Maharashtra the women have outsmarted the men as far as one state government’s scheme is concerned. The Maharashtra government launched the Ladka Bhau Yojana for the state’s boys after the success of the Ladli Behin Yojana.


Anticipating wrath from the boys especially unemployed, the Maharashtra government has introduced a new scheme Ladka Bhau Yojana 2024 aimed at helping young people. Through this, unemployed youth will receive Rs 10,000 per month. This funding will be given throughout the training program to help them find jobs and inspire them to work for themselves. The beneficiaries’ financial circumstances and living standards will improve as a result. There will also be a decline in the state’s unemployment rate once this scheme takes off. This program will guarantee the growth of the state’s youngsters and brighten their future so that they can advance in their careers.


With the overarching goal of improving employability among young men between the ages of 18 and 35, the Ladka Bhau Yojana brings vocational training to the forefront. It acknowledges the dire need for professional skills development amid increasing competition and rising unemployment rates. The Ladka Bhau Yojana is designed to provide financial assistance and vocational training to unemployed young men in the state, ensuring they have the necessary skills and resources to secure a stable future. The primary goal of the Ladka Bhau Yojana is to empower the youth of Maharashtra by offering them free vocational training and financial support. By equipping them with practical and technical skills, the program aims to reduce unemployment and improve the living standards of beneficiaries. The initiative is part of the Maharashtra government’s broader strategy to launch several public welfare schemes ahead of the assembly elections.


The program is expected to benefit around ten lakh young individuals across the state each year, providing them with the skills and support needed to overcome unemployment and achieve economic stability. By offering both training and financial support, the Ladka Bhau Yojana aims to reduce the unemployment rate in Maharashtra, ensuring that young people have the means to build successful careers. The scheme’s structure is simple yet powerful. Monthly stipends corresponding to their educational qualifications will be given to the youths. For example, those who have completed the 12th grade will earn Rs 6,000 monthly, ITI graduates will receive Rs 8,000, and graduates or postgraduates will secure Rs 10,000 per month during the six-month training program.

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