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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.

The OBC Unifier

Chhagan Bhujbal is known as a prominent OBC face in Maharashtra politics. He is also a good orator and had even acted in several Marathi films in his early days in the politics. He doesn’t hesitate in speaking out his mind and that keeps him involved in some or the other controversy all the time. His acts and words also help him remain in news headlines. It appears as if he loves all this.


Born on October 15, 1947, Chhagan Bhujbal started with a very humble background in Mumbai. With the family roots in Nashik, he used to run a family-owned vegetable shop at Byculla while pursuing his education in engineering. He was also involved in several social activities in the area that led him to join politics under Bal Thackeray. Eventually he became the corporator and then the Mayor of Mumbai. As a prominent Shiv Sena leader, he was known for his fiery speeches and strong organizational skills, which helped him gain popularity among the masses. As Mayor, he gave slogans like ‘Clean Mumbai Green Mumbai’ which became very popular.


Due to internal party politics, Bhujbal switched sides in 1991 and joined the Indian National Congress (INC) under the leadership of Sharad Pawar. He remained loyal to Pawar till 2023 when he left the NCP under Sharad Pawar along with Ajit Pawar and majority of other MLAs of the party. He had served as the Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra from 2009 to 2010 and had been a Cabinet Minister in various capacities, including Public Works, Tourism, and Social Justice during UPA and Mahayuti regimens in the state.


He faced allegations of corruption and misuse of power, which have led to legal battles and investigations. In 2016, he was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with a money laundering case. However, he consistently denied any wrongdoing and maintained that the charges against him are politically motivated. In 2023, he was appointed as the Minister of Food, Civil Supplies, and Consumer Protection in the Eknath Shinde-led government.


While pursuing the politics within the NCP, Bhujbal emerged as a prominent OBC face of the state. He hails from the prominent Mali community. He floated Mahatma Phule Samata Parishad to pursue Mahatma Phule’s social agenda of equality. However, this was the same Bhujbal who, as a Shiv Sena leader, had ‘cleaned’ the Hutatma Smarak (martyre’s memorial at Flora Fountain in Mumbai) with ‘cow urine’ after it was defaced during a Dalit rally just about a couple of years before he joined Congress.


Bhujbal is also known for his keen sense of humour. His speeches in the assembly are spiced with apt anecdotes that make listeners giggle and laugh even as his opponents are hit hard. His standard reply, in jovial manner, whenever a journalist asks him about switching political party remains, “We do it for better prospects!”

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