Milk producer unions move court against GCMMF chairman's plea

Three unions which are members of the Gujarat Co-operative Milk Marketing Federation (GCMMF), the owner of the Amul brand, moved an application before the Gujarat High Court today, requesting to be made respondents in connection with a petition filed by GCMMF chairman Vipul Chaudhary, against a no-confidence motion moved against him.

The Ahmedabad District Co-operative Milk Producers' Union Ltd, Bhavnagar District Co-operative Milk Producers' Union Ltd and Panchmahal District Co-operative Milk Producers' Union Ltd, through their respective chairmen Mohan Bharwad, Mahendra Panot and Jetha Ahir moved the High Court with an application to join as party respondents to Chaudhary's petition.
 

Chaudhary's lawyer Pankaj Champaneri filed a reply objecting to them being made party to the petition after which Justice A J Desai adjourned the matter for further hearing for tomorrow.

On October 25, the High Court had stayed the GCMMF's board meeting scheduled for October 26 to discuss the no-confidence motion against Chaudhary.

Chaudhary had filed a petition after the no-confidence motion for alleged mismanagement, which was moved against him by 14 out of 17 directors of GCMMF district dairy co-operative unions, the apex marketing body of various district dairy co-peratives which own the brand Amul.

The motion was expected to be taken up at the board meeting.

However, the court stayed the board meeting on the grounds of absence of provision for moving a no-confidence motion under the Gujarat Co-operatives Societies Act and the stay was extended till November 19.

Chaudhary had taken over as GCMMF chairman in August 2012.

Established in 1973, GCMMF is India's largest food product marketing organisation which clocked an annual turnover of USD 2.54 billion in 2012-13.

Its daily milk procurement is approximately 13 million litres per day, from 16,914 village milk co-operative societies, 17 member unions covering 24 districts, and 3.18 million milk producer members.