Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, May 1: High Court today directed Registrar Cooperative Societies to hold elections to Citizens Cooperative Bank Board forthwith and complete the exercise within a period of two months.
The direction was issued in a bunch of petitions seeking holding of elections to Citizens Cooperative Bank Board.
After hearing Advocates Anil Sethi and Abhinav Sharma appearing for the petitioners whereas Deputy AG Ranjeet Singh Jamwal appearing for the State, Justice Ramalingam Sudhakar observed, “short controversy raised in batch of petitions is holding election to the management of Citizens Cooperative Bank Limited. It appears that the tenure of elected board ended on 2nd September, 2015. The Board of Directors was continuing thereafter. However, on the strength of the court order, they were discharged”.
Vide order No. 06 RCS/BF of 2016 dated 02.09.2016 passed by the Registrar, Cooperative Societies, a Board of Administrator was appointed, primarily, to hold fresh elections and till the election is conducted to manage the affairs of the bank.
“In accordance with Section 29 (4) of the J&K Co-operative Societies Act, 1989 the period of the Board of Management or Administrators shall not exceed three months and in circumstances beyond its control, six months. The period of three months is over and the six months period will expire on June 1, 2017 and there is also an order dated 20.05.2016 passed by the Division Bench directing the Administrator to hold the elections within a period of two months”, Justice Ramalingam said.
“Keeping in mind the provision of law and the direction issued by the Division Bench, the Registrar, Co-operative Societies is directed to hold elections forthwith. This exercise shall be completed within a period of two months”, Justice Ramalingam said.
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