The Cooperative Ombudsman has directed the Citizen Cooperative Society Ltd., Hyderabad, to provide Smt. Vedula Jaya Laxmi with the balances available in various accounts held by her late father at the time of his death.
Jaya Laxmi had approached the Ombudsman after the society declined her request for information on her father’s savings, recurring deposit, fixed deposit and locker accounts. She had submitted a copy of her passport to establish her relationship with the deceased.
The society argued that information relating to a member could be shared only with the member under the Multi-State Cooperative Societies (MSCS) Act and that Jaya Laxmi was a third party. It also cited Section 108(3) of the Act.
The Ombudsman held that while the deceased member’s transaction history could not be shared, his daughter was entitled to know the balances in the accounts at the time of his death.
The society has been directed to provide the information within 30 days and submit a compliance report to the Ombudsman.
