By I C Naik
The state of Maharashtra is avoiding compliance of Constitutional mandates by indefinitely extending cooperative society elections to the managing committees in a well planned manner. The much hyped Deemed Conveyance issue also rests in limbo.
It is a case of democracy vs democracy since the cooperative elections which already became due have been avoided by evading appointment of the State Cooperative Election Authority the deadline of which was February 2013.
Reportedly the Mumbai Sub-urban District Collector has issued orders to halt the much hyped deemed conveyance facility for cooperative housing societies in areas from BANDRA to BORIVLI till such time the results of general elections are not out.
Fear of EC’s code of conduct? The order it is said is leading to the cancellation of hearing on deemed conveyance already fixed earlier. The Staff and Officers of Cooperative Societies Department of these areas who were supposed to be busy in supervising elections to the managing committees of cooperative societies have been directed to looking after general election.
One larger democratic platform crushes the smaller democratic platform. In last December the High Court of Bombay reportedly directed the State to appoint S C E A within a fortnight. There is no news yet in its compliance by the State in the High Court.
The general elections have brought the State Administration to a grinding halt. And now redevelopment projects which were on the verge of taking of are also on hold. It is said that as a good gesture housing societies depositing deemed conveyance applications will be accepted by an inward clerk only to be entertained once the Cooperative Staff returned to their desk after recouping from the election fatigue.
Everyone concerned is also aware as to how the successive State Governments overlooked the builders’ statutory obligations under Maharashtra Ownership Of Flats (Regulation Of The Promotion Of Construction, Sale, Management And Transfer) Act, 1963 for half a century and then came out with dismal performance in new concept the deemed conveyance.
A few days back the deemed conveyance facility has been quite benevolently extended till the end of the year 2014. And now thanks to general elections deemed conveyance matter seems to have gone into comma.
