A Doctor’s plea to the Election Commission of India

The Covid numbers we see on news everyday is getting worrisome. There has been a surge in the past weeks, with alarming rate of increase especially in states like Maharastra and Kerala, and we, in TN, are also witnessing similar trends, albeit smaller numbers, thanks to the relentless efforts of the doctors and other health care workers in our state, and of course a big support from the Government of Tamil Nadu.

With elections round the corner, the Election Commission of India has offered postal voting facility to all senior citizens aged above 80, the differently abled, those who have tested positive for Covid and to all workers in the line of duty of providing essential services like Loco pilots, Travelling ticket examiners, Police, PWD workers, Teachers on election duty, while doctors and other front line health care workers been left out in the list of availing postal voting facility.

TN Medical colleges, which form the major share of the tertiary care centres in the state, is primarily driven by the work force of residents and interns who belong to various parts of the state. And, the primary health care centres and government hospitals in the state also employs many doctors who don’t originally belong to the locality where they are working.

Adding to this, there is a problem of a large number of doctors who are quarantined post-covid duties or as a result of infection, are not supposed to travel inside the state. Also, in general, doctors cannot travel far and wide to go to their native places to cast their vote amidst pandemic as it involves risk of exposure to the virus. Thus, with no postal facility available, a huge number of doctors and health care workers are denied the right of voting in this election.

On behalf of all the doctors in the state, who have left their families to work amidst pandemic, risking their lives for the sake of the society, it would be a boon and boost if the Election Commission of India would allow the doctors and frontline health care workers who are displaced from their place of residence to exercise their voting rights via post and help perform their democratic duty. Thank you!

Dr. A Mohamed Hakkim,
Emergency Physician,
Trichy - Tamil Nadu