The Cooperative Election Authority (CEA) celebrated its First Foundation Year on Tuesday, marking a milestone in its mission to promote democratic governance and transparency in cooperative society elections.
Union Cooperation Secretary Dr. Ashish Kumar Bhutani attended as the Chief Guest, alongside CEA Chairman Devendra Kumar Singh, Central Registrar of Cooperative Societies Rabindra Kumar Agrawal, CEA Vice Chairman R.K. Gupta, senior officials from the Ministry of Cooperation, and representatives from Multi-State Cooperative Societies including IFFCO MD Dr U S Awasthi and NCUI’s Chief Executive Sudhir Mahajan, among others.
Dr. Bhutani highlighted the transformative role of the CEA, established under the Multi-State Cooperative Societies (Amendment) Act, 2023, after over a decade-long legislative process. He credited the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi and the guidance of Home and Cooperation Minister Shri Amit Shah for the sector’s progress. He emphasized that the CEA safeguards the core cooperative principle of democratic control by ensuring fair and transparent elections.
“The Authority is key to eliminating vested interests and opacity in cooperative elections,” Dr. Bhutani stated. He noted that under the new system, elections supervised by District Magistrates and Collectors have enhanced credibility. He underscored plans to expand the CEA’s scope to facilitate smooth electoral processes in upcoming elections.
Dr. Bhutani also urged the CEA to prioritize training and capacity-building programs for stakeholders and Returning Officers, reinforcing adherence to cooperative laws. He stressed that active participation from cooperative members is essential for upholding democratic values in elections.
CEA Chairman Devendra Kumar Singh reaffirmed the Authority’s commitment to transparency and accountability. “We are dedicated to ensuring free, fair, and democratic elections within cooperatives,” he said, extending gratitude to the Ministry of Cooperation for its unwavering support.
Looking ahead, Singh announced plans to conduct elections in over 170 societies next year with assistance from State Cooperative Election Authorities and Returning Officers. He advocated for leveraging technology to scrutinize bye-laws and flag inconsistencies, as well as fostering collaboration with state election bodies. Chairpersons from Tamil Nadu and Karnataka’s Cooperative Election Authorities also attended the event.
Since its inception on March 11, 2024, the CEA has been actively establishing its framework. It has already
issued election programs for over 137 societies, successfully overseeing elections for more than 100 Boards of Directors and Office Bearers.
The event underscored the CEA’s crucial role in strengthening cooperative governance, ensuring transparent electoral processes, and fostering greater democratic participation in India’s cooperative movement.
CRCS Rabindra Aggarwal proposed the vote of thanks, stating that observers will be appointed, and a provision for this will be made in the budget, with funds allocated from the exchequer of the Government of India (GOI).
