Coop polls: HC wants govt to set up 4 panels headed by rtd

The Madras High Court today directed the state government to divide co-operative societies into four zones and to form four committees headed by retired high court judges with deputy registrars and collectors of respective districts as members.

The matter relates to the co-operative elections which were conducted recently in the state to various co-operative societies.

The first bench, comprising Chief Justice Indira Banerjee and Justice P T Asha, gave the direction when a batch of more than 400 pleas with various prayers, including setting aside of elections conducted, came up before it.

The bench said a detailed order will be passed.

The government on receipt of the order copy within a duration of two weeks has to form the committees, it said.

After formation of the committees objections have to be filed before the respective committees within a period of seven days, the bench said.

The committees have to scrutinise the objections that are raised before it and decide on those objections within a period of three months, it said.

The election process shall abide by the decision of the committees and in the event any election is held to be invalid by the above committees fresh polls shall be conducted as per the election rules in accordance with law, it said.

Several pleas were filed before the court with various prayers, including setting aside the elections and also alleging various violations of the election process and returning officers returning nominations.

The petitions were filed before various judges and later transferred to the first bench.