Hearing the petitions last week, the Delhi High Court had set aside the order of the Central Registrar of Cooperative Societies related to the appointment of Ramdas Sandhe as the officiating President and Mukesh as the MD in-charge of the apex body of fisheries co-operatives in the country FISHCOPFED.
The court has, however, not commented on the validity of the election process. It has merely annulled the appointment of Sandhe and Mukesh as Chairman and MD. The High Court has ruled that the status quo in this regard would be maintained until the learned Arbitrator decided the interim applications filed by any of the parties.
It bears recall that amidst a spate of complaints about irregularities, the election of the Fishcopfed was held in February this year, which was later suspended by Central Registrar of Cooperative Societies Vivek Aggarwal.
The Central Registrar also appointed Sunil Kumar Singh, Additional Managing Director, NAFED, New Delhi as an Arbitrator and also Ramdas Sandhe as the officiating President and Mukesh as the MD in-charge.
Challenging the order of the Central Registrar, a few newly elected directors of the apex body Fishcopfed knocked at the door of Delhi High Court and filed the petitions. After physical and virtual hearings on their petitions, the court ordered the status quo in March.
Following the court judgment, as of now, the Fishcopfed is without an MD or a board and it is imperative that the Ministry takes a call on the issues sooner than later.
It is notable that the Ministry of Fisheries and NCDC have a share of 89 percent in Fishcopfed. The internal clashes between the board members of Fishcopfed is affecting its growth and the employees have not been getting their salary for the last few months.
Meanwhile, former Chairman of Fishcopfed and one of the petitioners Prakash Lonare has claimed that the court has given relief in their favour and the newly elected board will hold a meeting next month at the apex body’s headquarters.
Rubbishing Lonare’s comment, Ramdas Sandhe said the court has not allowed the newly elected board to take control of Fishcopfed yet. That will be decided by the Arbitrator.
Accusing Lonare of misleading people and presenting the court rulings in a wrong manner, Sandhe reminded that the court has only set aside a single order of the Central Registrar of Cooperative Societies making me as an officiating chairman and Mukesh as an MD-in Charge.
Readers would recall that, despite a Central Registrar order, elections were conducted electing 11 out of 12 directors from the previous board of Fishcopfed. A Special General Meeting was also held later. Only the process of electing Chairman and Vice-Chairman was spared by the RO.
Ramdass Sandhe, the outgoing Vice-Chairman had complained to the Central Registrar citing manipulation of the election process by T R Dora Prasad and B K Mishra in collusion with the Returning Officer.
Rishkesh Kashyap, one of the former Directors went to the extent of alleging that Dora asked each outgoing Director to pay Rs 1 lac to the RO and he would ensure their re-election. Kashyap claims to have evidence to prove his point.
