The Odisha govt seems to have become an habitual postponer of cooperative elections in the state. Yet again the Patnaik govt has brought an ordinance to postpone elections by another six months.
Earlier as directed by the Supreme Court, the Odisha High Court had asked the state govt to hold polls. Experts say, it is incumbent on the govt to hold elections as stipulated in the 97th constitutional amendment.
Critics of the govt charge that the govt’s repeated move to defer cooperative elections is prompted by less than honest considerations. It is absolutely clear that the Patnaik govt is not willing to allow democratic norms to prevail in the cooperative sector , opponents of the govt assert.
In 2013, the Odisha Co-operative Societies Act, 1962 was amended by the Odisha Co-operative Societies (Amendment) Act, 2012 to bring it in conformity with the 97th Constitutional Act, 2011.
The Amendment Act contains a transitory provision under section 17 providing for a time period of six months from the date of commencement of the Amendment Act within which the election to all Co-operative Societies shall be held.
The Odisha Co-operative Societies (Amendment) Act, 2012 came into force in 2013 and as such, the said period of six months for holding elections to the cooperative societies has long expired.
Failure of Constitutional Mechanism should encompass persistent failure to abide by constitutional mandates.