Shillong, June 18: A row erupted on Sunday in West Bengal over the Howarh district administration’s decision to assign election-related duties to the doctors associated with the state-run medical facilities in the upcoming panchayat polls.
Some government doctors of Howrah district have received instructions to attend the poll-related duties.
The Association Of Health Service Doctors – West Bengal has written to the State Election Commission, expressing their objection to the development.
The Association sought to know “how the district administration could allot them the duties of presiding officers or polling officers”, pointing out this was “unprecedented”.
Meanwhile, the Howrah district administration described the development (assigning poll duties to certain doctors) “an unintended error”.
Additional District Magistrate of Howrah, S. Pal said that the instructions sent to doctors would not be implemented.
The panchayat polls in the state is scheduled to be held on July 8. The votes will be counted on July 11.