A Petition has been filed against GCMMF MD R.S.Sodhi in the Gujarat High Court challenging his appointment by Moghabhai Desai, Chairman of Valsad district cooperative milk producers union.
The petition challenges the appointment of R.S.Sodhi as Managing Director of GCMMF and also seek direction upon the Registrar and State authorities to initiate action against illegal appointment of MD and against illegal decisions taken by the MD in the working of GCMMF which has effect of making losses to the GCMMF and its affiliated unions which ultimately affect the milk producers.
Hearing of the petition at the admission stage was on 27/11/2013 before the hon’ble justice A.J.Desai. Arguing for the petitioner senior advocate Manish R. Bhatt appearing with Bipin Desai, advocate contended that the appointment of R.S Sodhi as MD was made without undertaking any recruitment process, without inviting any applications, without calling names from employment exchange or any other sources, and unilaterally R S Sodhi has been appointed as MD, read a press release.
It was also contended that Sodhi was appointed as MD of GCMMF which is having yearly turnover of around Rs.13700 crores and livelihood of more than 30 lakhs milk producer farmers is at stake, and MD being the highest executive officer in federation, his appointment could not have been in such manner.
Interestingly in the selection committee meeting only candidate who was present was RS Sodhi and it shows that it was pre-decided to appoint him. It was also argued that though complaints have been made to the highest officials of the state government no action has been taken and therefore the petition is required to be filed seeking redressal of the grievances.
Grievances have also been raised in the petition with regard to functioning of MD and various decisions of the MD which has resulted in the loss of various district milk unions which has resulted in losses being percolated to the milk producers’ societies, thereby ultimately to the dairy farmers.
Such complaints have also been made to the higher officials of the cooperative department of state government but no action has been taken in that regard also. Considering the aforesaid submission, the hon’ble high court has issued notices and called upon the respondents i.e. Registrar [Cooperative societies], GCMMF and MD of GCMMF to respond to the petition, and next date of hearing is fixed on 11 Dec. 2013, said the release.