Karnataka government has issued the notification postponing the elections of cooperative societies till 31st December and barring the board of directors from remaining in their position after the term is over but this touched off a debate among cooperators.
Earlier, several cooperators demanded that they should be allowed to continue their term till the elections are held. The elections are being postponed due to Covid-19.
The government disallowed the board to continue where BoDs term is over and will appoint administrators in these cooperatives to oversee their further activities.
However, cooperators say several states including Maharashtra have allowed BoDs to continue for another six months where term is over.
It is learnt that there are 264 UCBs in the state out of which over 20 UCBs boards of directors’ term are due for competition.
Besides, nine district Central Cooperative Banks including Bagalkot DCCB elections are due.
Talking to Indian Cooperative Karnataka State Federal Cooperative Limited (KSSFCL) Managing Director Sharangouda Patil said, “There are over 4000 souharda cooperatives in Karnataka and in over 482 Souharda co-ops elections are due.
Patil felt that and now it’s the responsibility of KSSFCL to appoint special officers in these co-ops. “So far, we have appointed 28 special officers in the souharda co-ops”, he informed.
“So, we are ready for the battle and we have 100 plus employees. We will appoint administrators in these societies where their terms are over”, Patil underlined.
Coming to the postponement of AGM dates for cooperatives, the state government has extended the dates till 25 December 2020 but has not yet released any notification on how to conduct AGMs. KSSFCL has urged the state government to allow co-ops to conduct AGMs virtually.
Reacting to the development in Karnataka, cooperators connected with NCUI-the apex body of cooperatives in the country felt that such precedent does not augur well for the cooperative movement in the country as there are several multi state co-ops where elections are being withheld due to Covid. “It is a situation beyond their control and NCUI itself is a case in point”, they said.
