The Gujarat govt move to appoint custodians in100 cooperatives of the state has got entangled in a legal wrangle with the Gujarat High Court seeking state government’s reply on a petition that challenged the amendment in Gujarat Cooperative Societies (Amendements) Act, 2015.
Giving the next day of hearing on June 22 the court issued a notice to Gujarat government and the Advocate General over the petition.
The petitioner has represented that the state government amendment amounts to denying the fundamental rights as enshrined in the constitution.
Readers would recall the Gujarat government decision to appoint “custodians” in those cooperatives societies where elections have not taken place, had shaken the cooperative world. While govt quotes the compulsion of Gujarat Cooperative Societies (Amendment) Bill 2015, Opposition sees in it an effort to “cleanse” co-ops from Congress influence. Among the 100 co-ops under cloud three are led by top cooperators such as Natu Patel of IFFCO and Vipul Chaudhary.
Hardening its stand against cooperative societies and banks in the state that are functioning without holding elections the Gujarat government announced appointment of “custodians” on such bodies to initiate the election process.
Later , Gujarat government decided to wait for Supreme Court’s verdict with regard to appointment of custodians in cooperative societies and banks in the state that are functioning without holding elections of management committees within stipulated time frame.