The issue in which the Union Territory of Chandigarh issued a notification to the effect that that all the managing committees of the cooperative societies, whose elections were held after January 1, 2013, would get an extension up to five years, came before the Punjab and Haryana high court . The High Court has summoned UT deputy commissioner over the issue, reports Hindustan Times.
A city advocate RD Anand had challenged the UT’s notification dated December 2, 2014, wherein the registrar of the cooperative societies had ordered that all the managing committees of the cooperative societies, whose elections were held after January 1, 2013, would get an extension up to five years.
The petitioner had alleged that UT was yet to frame rules for the implementation of the provisions of 97th constitutional amendment and the managing committees, which were elected for one year.
DC Mohammad Shayin, who also holds the charge of the registrar of the cooperative societies, was directed to appear before the court on May 5 after the UT administration’s counsel, during a hearing on Tuesday, stated that instructions had been issued to the registrar of the cooperative societies to withdraw the notification, in which the aforesaid societies’ managing committees were given extension of five years. The election of the members of the managing committees of the aforesaid societies is valid for only one year.
The UT administration’s counsel said despite several reminders, the registrar office had failed to come up with an appropriate reply to be filed before the HC.
It may be recalled that the UT administration had on March 2 informed the court that the notification which states extension of the term of the cooperative societies’ managing committees by five years, had been withdrawn. The administration also submitted that the rules for the same would be put in place before the next date of hearing.
However, the petitioner, RD Anand, once again approached the court on March 18, stating that the said notification had not been withdrawn, following which the HC had issued notice to the Chandigarh administration, said the HT report.
Tenure of the Boards of all Cooperatives in the Country has been set at 5 years from the date of Election as per the Constitution (Amendment) Act 2011 with effect from 13 2 2013. This does not require any other step in any State or Union Territory to enable all Boards in office on that date or elected after that date have 5 years to remain in office. This is the Constitutional Provision.