Government doctors who were earlier asked to report without fail, for an election duty-related training programme on Friday heaved a sigh of relief as news trickled in that they need not do so.
On Wednesday afternoon, about a 1,000 doctors working in different Government hospitals including the Osmania and Gandhi Medical Colleges and Hospitals received orders from the Commissioner, Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation, who is the Election Authority, appointing them as Presiding/Assistant Presiding Officers and asking them to attend a training programme for the purpose.
As the matter was escalated by Hospital Superintendents to the Director of Medical Education G. Shantaram, he took it up with Principal Secretary-Health, L.V. Subrahmanyam. The senior IAS officer shot off a letter to Chief Electoral Officer Bhanwarlal, also keeping Chief Secretary P.K. Mohanty in the loop, pointing out that according to the rules, government doctors were exempted from election duties.
On Thursday too, Mr. Subrahmanyam wrote again to Mr. Mohanty and Mr. Bhanwarlal, taking references to the Election Manual and the Presiding Officers’ Diary that specified that Medical Officers were exempt from election duties. “Government doctors need not report for training on Friday. However, the Ministerial staff in Government Medical Colleges and Hospitals will attend the training programme,” the Principal Secretary clarified.
