Orissa Cabinet extends elections to Cooperative bodies

Bhubaneswar, Jun 29 (UNI) The Orissa Cabinet today decided to promulgate an ordinance to extend elections to the left out Cooperative bodies for another six months till January 2, 2007.

This will be seventh time in a row since 2001 the elections to 1875 primary Cooperative Societies, 86 Central Cooperative Societies and 23 Apex Cooperative Societies had been extended by the Cabinet.

Briefing newsmen after the Cabinet meeting, Chief Secretary Subash Pani said the Cabinet was constrained to extend elections for another six months as Orissa High Court had issued an interim order asking the authorities concerned not to issue any notification for holding elections to the Cooperative bodies.

Mr Pani said the state government in August, 2005 had decided to conduct the elections to the left out Cooperative bodies and accordingly directed the Registrar Cooperative Societies to issue necessary notification.

But two cases were filed in the court challenging the election process and the court issued interim stay not to issue any notification.

The Chief Secretary said though the court had completed the hearing but reserved its judgment, and final orders were yet to be issued forcing the Cabinet to take a decision to extend the election for another six months.

Mr Pani said even as the court passed any order enabling the Registrar of Cooperative Societies to go ahead with the elections, it would be difficult for him to conduct the elections within the deadline of July 2, 2006.

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