MCI elections to be held at NTR University

HYDERABAD: Elections to the Medical Council of India (MCI), the highest healthcare regulatory authority in India, will be held at the NTR University of Health Sciences, Vijayawada, on Monday. Four members will be elected by the 64-member NTR University senate from Andhra Pradesh.
Elections to the MCI from the university are being held after a gap of about 8 years.The elected MCI body will have a total of 96 members from across India with six members representing Andhra Pradesh. While one member will be nominated from the registered medical graduates' constituency, the second name will be recommended by the state government. The four elected members will be from the medical faculty of the colleges affiliated to the varsity.
MCI is currently being run by a seven-member board of governors headed by a chairman and nominated by the government. Sources said 14 contestants are in the fray for the four posts from the state. Two others will be nominated by the state government.
The elected MCI body will replace the existing board of governors nominated by the central government and restore the democratic structure of the council.
Elections are being held after the central government recently decided to reconstitute MCI by clearing the Indian Medical Council (Amendment) Bill, 2013, paving the way for an elected apex medical regulator. The last elected MCI body was disbanded after its chairman Ketan Desai was arrested by CBI for corruption.