The prolonged legal battle over the 2021 election of the National Federation of Fishers’ Cooperative Ltd. (FISHCOPFED) has culminated in a landmark arbitration award, with Sole Arbitrator Kalyan Sahai Meena (IAS, Retd.) declaring the disputed election process unsustainable and directing consequential relief, including the conduct of a fresh election in accordance with the Multi-State Cooperative Societies Act, 2002.
The 320-page award, delivered on July 9, 2026, followed extensive proceedings involving multiple parties, voluminous documentary evidence and detailed arguments over nearly two years.
The dispute originated from complaints by Ramdas P. Sandhe and other members challenging the legality of the February 2021 election to FISHCOPFED’s Board of Directors. They alleged that the election was vitiated by unauthorized continuation of then President T.P. Rao Dora after the expiry of his tenure, irregular decisions taken by the Board, alleged manipulation in appointing the Returning Officer, wrongful rejection of nominations, inclusion of ineligible members and promotions granted to certain employees to influence the electoral process.
The respondents, including FISHCOPFED, former Managing Director B.K. Mishra and other office-bearers, denied all allegations, maintaining that the election had been conducted lawfully and in accordance with the federation’s bye-laws and statutory provisions.
One of the key legal questions before the tribunal was whether the arbitration could examine issues beyond the narrow conduct of the election itself. Rejecting FISHCOPFED’s preliminary objections under Section 16 of the Arbitration and Conciliation Act, the tribunal held that an election dispute necessarily encompasses all actions having a direct nexus with the fairness, legality and integrity of the electoral process.
It ruled that allegations relating to continuation of office-bearers, Board decisions, promotions of officials and alleged misuse of official machinery could not be segregated from the election dispute where they were claimed to have materially influenced the outcome.
The arbitrator also declined to accept objections based on res judicata, waiver and issue estoppel, observing that these issues required substantive examination and could not be used to summarily reject the claims. The award further noted that FISHCOPFED could not selectively rely on findings of an earlier arbitral award while simultaneously disputing portions that went against its stand, particularly regarding the continuation of T.P. Rao Dora after July 2020.
After analysing the pleadings, documentary evidence and witness testimonies, the tribunal concluded that the challenge to the 2021 election was maintainable and that the election process had suffered from serious legal infirmities warranting interference. The award consequently granted claim-wise and consequential relief, paving the way for fresh elections to restore democratic governance in the apex fisheries cooperative.
The decision is expected to have wider implications for governance, election management and accountability in multi-state cooperative societies governed under the MSCS Act.
