Rajasthan elections: HC allows govt doctor to contest polls, rejoin duty if he loses

Jaipur: The Rajasthan High Court has allowed a government doctor to contest the November 25 assembly polls and rejoin duty if he loses.

Deepak Ghoghra, 43, is contesting the election from the Dungarpur constituency on a Bharatiya Tribal Party (BTP) ticket. He is the son of BTP state president Velaram Ghoghra.

In an order on October 20, Justice Pushpendra Singh Bhati of the Joghpur bench of the high court said, "...the respondents may kindly be directed to relieve the petitioner from the post of medical officer for the purpose of participation in the upcoming Rajasthan state assembly election 2023 and permit the petitioner to contest/ participate in the election." "...the respondent may kindly be further directed that if the petitioner loses in election, the petitioner would be permitted to join back on the post of medical officer as accordingly," the order stated.

Ghoghra said this is the first such case in the state that the high court has allowed a government doctor to contest and rejoin duty in case of defeat.

"It is a landmark ruling and opens the door to more doctors following suit," Ghoghra, posted at the Dungarpur District Hospital, told PTI.

Ghoghra said he has been posted in Dungarpur for 10 years and the local people know him well and expressed confidence of winning the seat.

"It is important that educated people come forward and join politics to serve people. My decision to contest the election has been received well by the people and I am fully confident that because of my one-to-one connection with the people, I will be winning this seat,” he said.

Goghra is pitted against Bansilal Katara of the BJP and Congress candidate Ganesh Ghoghra, who is the sitting MLA.

The BTP has fielded 17 candidates and two of them are doctors, including Ghoghra.

Voting on 200 seats in the state will be held on November 25 and the counting of votes will take place on December 3.