Nishikant Khajuria
JAMMU, May 7: In a significant development, the State Government today took over management affairs of Jammu Central Cooperative Bank (JCCB) and ceased the powers of its newly elected Board of Directors by appointing an Administrator.
The action has been initiated within three days after election of new Board of Directors of the Bank and a subsequent petition challenging the same in the court of Registrar Cooperative Society, J&K.
“The new Board of Directors shall not exercise powers till interim direction is vacated or modified and till then affair of Jammu Central Cooperative Bank shall be looked after by the Joint Registrar (Administration) Cooperative Societies, J&K,” says the order issued by Registrar Cooperative Societies, J&K.
The Government has also issued a show cause notice to the Board of Directors to explain within 15 days why the Board should not be superceded for violating fresh guidelines on holding its elections despite issuance of an SRO in this regard, official sources informed the Excelsior.
Besides, the sources added, the newly appointed Administrator will conduct an inquiry on violation of Government guidelines in conducting the elections and submit its report in 15 days for further action.
Pertinent to mention here that elections of Jammu Central Cooperative Bank Directors were held on May 3 in which the incumbent JCCB Chairman Mohinder Singh along with nine others were elected unopposed.
As soon as the Returning Officer issued a formal notification regarding constitution of the Board, meeting of the newly elected Directors was held on the same day, in which Mohinder Singh was re-elected as Chairman of the Bank, sources said.
The hush-hush elections of the Director, that too unopposed, raised eyebrows of some cooperative societies and one of them challenged the same in the court of Registrar Cooperative Societies on May 5, sources informed.
In the petition, filed by MPCS Muthi Rakwal, the petitioner alleged that elections of JCCB were held without prior knowledge of the society and no proper publicity was given in this regard apparently to keep the eligible societies away from the process.
Taking cognizance of the petition, the Registrar ceased powers of the newly elected Board and appointed Joint Registrar (Admn) Mufti Farid-ud-Din as Administrator to look after the management affairs of JCCB.
Mufti Farid-ud-Din took over as Administrator of JCCB today, sources informed.
When contacted, the Minister of State for Cooperative (Independent Charge), Dr Manohar Lal Sharma said that the Registrar was looking into complaints against JCCB election and other matters and the decision of taking over the management affairs besides ceasing powers of the Board of Directors was taken in interest of the bank.
“No one will be allowed to violate the Government guidelines on cooperative societies and the transparency has to be maintained at all level,” he added.
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