Professional pharmacist associations across India have united to welcome the Madras High Court’s landmark directive to transition the Tamil Nadu Pharmacy Council (TNPC) elections to an online voting system.
From across the country, the move is being hailed as a revolutionary step that addresses decades-old grievances regarding election transparency and administrative inefficiency. These associations believe the order creates a vital precedent for all state pharmacy councils to follow, filling a legislative gap in the aging Pharmacy Act of 1948.
Leading the praise, the Indian Pharmacist Association (IPA), Gujarat state branch, expressed deep appreciation for the court’s progressive stance. Secretary general Jignesh Patel emphasized that online voting will drastically strengthen democratic participation, particularly for pharmacists serving in rural and remote areas who often find physical or postal voting a logistical burden. Patel noted that a secure digital system would eliminate procedural delays and manual errors, finally aligning the profession with the national ‘Digital India’ mission.
In Chennai, the sentiment was echoed by Prof. S. Balasubramanian, who described the verdict as a crucial move to curb deep-rooted electoral malpractices. He pointed out that digital transition would prevent doorstep ballot collection’, a practice where voters are often subjected to pressure, threats, or favours to hand over their papers. By removing physical ballots from the process, the judiciary has effectively neutralized these illicit influences, ensuring a truly free and fair election.
The call for nationwide implementation was further strengthened by the J&K Pharmacy Graduates Association. General secretary Rafi Malik highlighted that the High Court’s suggestion to adopt a model similar to the amended Indian Veterinary Council Rules, 1985, provides a robust reference framework for the pharmacy sector. Malik urged the Pharmacy Council of India (PCI) to initiate similar regulatory reforms across all states to ensure uniformity and accountability in professional governance.
The urgency of this reform is underscored by ongoing legal challenges in other states. Padam Sharma, a pharmacist and member of the Gurgaon Chemist and Druggist Association (GCDA), shared that he is currently contesting election procedures in the Haryana state pharmacy council at the High Court. Sharma asserted that the primary objective of any pharmacy council, to improve education and future career scopes, is compromised unless every registered member has a transparent and fair right to elect their representatives.
While the reception has been overwhelmingly positive, the IPA Gujarat branch did raise critical considerations for the implementation phase. They advised that any online system must prioritize data security and rigorous authentication to protect the integrity of the vote. Furthermore, the association stressed the importance of addressing digital literacy among senior professionals, recommending that state councils provide technical support and training to ensure no pharmacist is left behind by the move toward digital systems.
The Madras High Court’s order, delivered by Justice P T Asha, directs the Tamil Nadu government to amend the State Pharmacy Council Rules, 1953, within eight months. This judicial intervention is seen as a turning point, as the 2025 elections saw a dismal turnout, with only about 20,260 ballots returned out of 1.13 lakh dispatched. By mandating a digital future for the 2030 elections, the court has set a roadmap that many hope will soon become the standard for the pharmacy profession across the entire country. |