Doctors’ Forum threatens movement against ECI for calling elderly & sick people to SIR hearings

Kolkata: Service Doctors’ Forum, an association of medical practitioners in West Bengal, has threatened a major protest demonstration against the Election Commission of India (ECI), for its decision to issue summons to clinically ailing patients and senior citizens asking them to be present at the hearing sessions on claims and objections on the draft voters’ list.

Incidentally, the Forum played a leading role in spearheading the mass movement on the issue of the ghastly rape and murder of a junior doctor of state-run R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata within the hospital premises in August 2024.

Sources said on Thursday that the organisation has decided to launch a movement against the ECI in the New Year to protest against the harassment of elderly people in the name of calling them for the SIR hearing.

Since the beginning of the hearing process in the state, there have been reports of people suffering from various conditions.

Following the commission’s directives, physically challenged individuals, the sick and the elderly, including some over 80 years old, have been forced to travel to distant hearing centres and stand in long queues. Even critically ill patients had to appear at the hearing centres.

Although the Election Commission recently instructed that hearings for those over 85 years of age should be conducted at their homes, this is not being implemented in many cases. As a result, even frail elderly individuals are being forced to appear at the hearing centres.

Physically-challenged individuals are also being summoned for hearings. Even doctors responsible for the treatment of thousands of people are being summoned for hearings, severely impacting healthcare services.

A member of the Forum said, “Even in emergency situations like wartime, exemptions are granted to the critically ill, the elderly, the physically challenged and those involved in essential services like healthcare. This is not the case with the SIR process. Our organisation has already sent a fax to the Chief Election Commissioner demanding immediate action to change this inhumane situation.”

According to him, if the situation does not change, they will have no other option but to launch their movement.

IANS