Polls to cooperative bodies in Odisha would now soon be held. The Supreme Court has allowed the state govt. to go ahead doing it as per the 97th constitutional amendment, said a source from the state cooperative dept.
The elections to cooperative societies have not been conducted since 2011 in Odisha. There had been repeated postponements because of the state govt’s unwillingness. However, the govt.’s refusal to hold polls had been challenged in the High Court and the Court had passed an order asking the state govt. to hold elections. The state govt. had gone to the apex court opposing the High Court’s ruling.
Earlier, the Odisha Co-operative Societies Act, 1962 had been amended by the Odisha Co-operative Societies (Amendment) Act, 2012 to bring it in conformity with the Constitution (Ninety-Seventh Amendment) Act, 20
The Amendment Act provides for a time period of six months within which the elections to all Co-operative Societies shall be held from the date of commencement of the Amendment Act.
With the prospects of elections looming up out of the lingering confusion, there is something important for cooperators to get excited about, say sources watching the cooperative scene in Odisha.