On the occasion of the first foundation day of the Cooperative Election Authority (CEA), several District Magistrates (DMs) assigned to conduct elections for multi-state credit cooperative societies shared their experiences, challenges, and key suggestions for improving the electoral process.
Among the key speakers were Mekala Chaitanya Prasad, IAS, DM South Delhi, and Prabhav Joshi, IAS, Collector and DM, Rajkot, who provided valuable insights into their first hand experiences of conducting cooperative elections.
Addressing the gathering, Mekala Chaitanya Prasad recalled his initial challenges upon receiving an assignment in November to oversee the elections of the National Sugar Cooperative Federation. With limited exposure to cooperative elections, he initially assumed that the process would strictly follow the Multi-State Cooperative Societies (MSCS) Act.
However, he soon realized that bye-laws and rules of respective MSCSs played a crucial role, which were not always aligned with the Act. Despite these challenges, the elections were conducted smoothly.
Prasad, who later conducted elections for IFFCO, KRIBHCO, and other cooperative societies, highlighted the need for better training and guidance for Returning Officers (ROs).
He suggested the creation of video tutorials and a comprehensive election manual for cooperative elections. Additionally, he proposed the appointment of retired officers as observers to ensure fairness and transparency in the process.
Prabhav Joshi, who conducted the elections for Rajkot Nagarik Sahakari Bank (RNSB), shared his experiences, noting that while he had previously overseen MP and MLA elections, the cooperative election process posed unique challenges.
To ensure smooth execution, Joshi’s team implemented several innovative measures, including the establishment of Pink Booths at Jetpur, managed entirely by female staff, a 24×7 Control Room for real-time monitoring of election-related activities, and Live Webcasting of the election process to enhance transparency.
He also suggested key reforms, such as redesigning ballot papers to include candidate photos and symbols for easier identification, establishing clearer bye-laws to define constituencies and voting patterns, and adopting a structured election procedure aligned with the guidelines of the Election Commission of India (ECI).
Additionally, he emphasized the need for postal ballot provisions for voters residing in remote constituencies and advocated for legal assistance provisions, including the appointment of senior advocates by the authority to handle election-related legal disputes.
The event also saw the presence of Union Ministry of Cooperation Secretary Ashish Bhutani, CEA Chairperson D.K. Singh, R.K. Gupta, CRCS Ravindra Agarwal, and other dignitaries. Several persons including IFFCO MD Dr U S Awasthi and NCUI’s Chief Executive Sudhir Mahajan, among others were present from the cooperative fold.
