VISWANATH V Vs. KERALA DENTAL COUNCIL

JUDGEMENT

(1.) Whether a candidate has to be an 'elector' finding a place in the final voters' list to contest the election to the Dental Council of India under Section 3(a) of the Dentists Act, 1948, is the issue involved herein.

(2.) The Petitioner who acquired a degree in BDS (Bachelor of Dental Surgery) from the Government Dental College, Bangalore in the year 1981 set up his practice as a Dental Surgeon in Calicut till 1984 and thereafter shifted his practice to a suburban area called Chemmad in Malappuram district, where he is continuing as such. As per the relevant provisions of law, a qualified Dentist has to be got registered under the Act and the Registration has to be renewed every year as prescribed. The registration of the Petitioner was earlier with the Dental Council, Karnataka and was later registered in the Dental Council, Kerala w.e.f. 12.08.1993 as per Ext. P1 certificate of registration.

(3.) In fact two types of registration are contemplated under the Statute-Part A and Part B as given under Section 31. Persons possessing a recognized dental qualification are to be registered under Part A and others under Part B. As evident from Ext.P1 the Petitioner is a duly qualified Dentist, who has got registered under Part A and the Registration having been renewed, is stated as valid till 31.12.2014 as mentioned in Ext. P1 itself.