Staff reporter
Guwahati: The Association of Advanced Pharmacy Practitioners (AAPP) urged the state government to form the Assam Pharmacy Council (APC) so as to uphold the mandate of the elected members.
Speaking to the media after the directive of the Gauhati High Court, AAPP president Birendra Kumar Barman, who is also one of the elected members of the Council, said, “The High Court has clearly dismissed all allegations regarding the election process and directed that the Assam Pharmacy Council be constituted without any further delay. The democratic mandate of the elected representatives must be respected. We have waited patiently for nearly a year, and now there is no legal hurdle left.”
Recalling the events that led to the delay, Barman stated, “Even though the election was held almost a year ago and six members, including myself, were duly elected, the Council couldn’t be formed due to a court case filed by two defeated candidates. To uphold the integrity of the democratic process, we served a legal notice to the state government through our counsel, Advocate Arup Jyoti Das.”
Barman emphasized that the delay in the Council’s constitution has stalled key decisions and affected the governance of pharmacy affairs in the state. “With the High Court verdict now in our favour, there should be no excuse left. We urge the government to uphold the rule of law and restore normalcy in pharmacy regulation,” he asserted.
On another note, Barman welcomed the administrative changes in the Deputy Directorate of Pharmacy. “We appreciate the government’s decision to release Sudhir Saha from the post of Deputy Director and appoint Prof. Barnali Dutta. We believe Prof. Dutta’s experience and leadership will bring a fresh direction to the department,” he added.
Also read: Health Department may hold fresh Assam Pharmacy Council election: HC
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