In the wake of Covid surge, several co-op societies are not able to meet their schedule and hold meetings as per the law. Responding to the challenge the Maharashtra cabinet has offered them a reprieve.
The Cabinet passed a proposal to amend the Cooperative Societies Act 1960 to ensure that members will not lose their voting rights during the next elections to their respective societies, reports PTI.
As per the current provisions of the law, a member must attend at least one meeting of the cooperative society in five consecutive years, failing which he is deemed inactive and loses rights to vote.
Taking into consideration the possibility of many members losing their voting rights as several societies could not hold their annual meetings, the cabinet has decided to allow such members to remain active members of societies.
Earlier, given a fresh surge in COVID-19 cases, the Maharashtra government had postponed elections to cooperative bodies, including housing societies till August, 2021.
The government has postponed the elections under Section 73 CC of the Maharashtra Cooperative Societies Act, 1960.