Housing activists ask state government to set rules for cooperative housing society elections, which have been put on hold for nearly two years
If Bihar assembly and MLC elections can be held amid the COVID-19 pandemic in which over one lakh people have been killed, then why can't the cooperative societies in the state conduct the elections for fewer than 250 members, ask housing activists.
Elections in more than 83,000 cooperative societies have been on hold since the past two years. In September, a government resolution (GR) was issued stating that the election has been postponed till December 2020. It added that the delay can be extended for another six months, till June 2021. And this has become a matter of concern, as major decisions on redevelopment, repair, change of security guards, filling up vacant posts due to death or resignation have gone for a toss.
Maharashtra Societies Welfare Association (MahaSeWa) on October 3 wrote to Cooperation Minister Balasaheb Patil, requesting to publish final election rules for Cooperative Housing Societies.
83,000 societies affected
CA Ramesh Prabhu, founder-chairman of MahaSeWa, said, "The elections in Bihar are being conducted. In fact, Parliament and assembly are also functioning. It is unfortunate that the small grass root democratic set up are unable to hold the election on the premises. We fail to understand the step-motherly treatment to the small cooperative housing societies in the state."
Advocate Vinod Sampat, founder-president of Cooperative Societies Residents Association
"There are over 83,000 societies where buildings need major repairs or redevelopment. They are becoming dilapidated and dangerous to live in, but the societies are not able to make policy decisions. Now, the disputes between the society and few aggrieved members have reached before the registrar," Prabhu said.
The registrar has issued show-cause notices to societies to appoint administrators or authorised officers.
Prabhu said, "As per the Maharashtra Cooperative Societies Act, 1960, election cannot be postponed for more than one year under any circumstances. However, elections haven't happened for two years now. The difficulties of more than 3 crore residents in the 83,000 cooperative housing societies must not be ignored."
Expert speaks
Advocate Vinod Sampat, founder-president of Cooperative Societies Residents Association (registered), said, "Under no circumstances the elections of cooperative housing societies should be delayed. With a large number of outlets and public places being opened during Unlock 5, I feel that elections within societies with less than 250 members can be easily allowed. The issue of physical distance is important and the same can be sorted out, while conducting elections in cooperative housing societies with less than 250 members, as no external retaining officer from the cooperative department needs to be called in to oversee the election."
Sampat concluded saying, "It is also a fact that some cooperative societies managing committee with vested interest are using this delay tactics of conducting elections under the ambit of highlighting the government GR directing postponement of elections, amid COVID-19 pandemic, and such practice is uncalled for and creates room for ambiguity in minds of residents."
Mangal Kamble, founder-president of Swach Kharghar Foundation, which has around 260 residential societies in Kharghar as its members, said, "They [government] are getting reasons to delay the society elections and it is over two years that no elections could be held in cooperative housing societies across the state."
Numerous delays
"It was first delayed due to the amendments to the Maharashtra Cooperative Societies Act, 1960, then came the elections, and by the time the changes were to be introduced in the Cooperative Act, we had to face COVID-19 lockdown. But now with lockdowns being lifted, elections in societies should be allowed," said Kamble. Balakrishnan Nair, secretary of Sanghvi Garden CHS Ltd in Dombivli, said, "Ours is a 116-member cooperative society and the election was due in December 2019 but due to the government GR, we postponed it. Later, the COVID-19 lockdown delayed it.
The election should be conducted within the due course of time, without further delay, for smooth functioning of the society."
83,000
No. of housing socities affected by delay in polls
3 crore
No. of residents affected by the delay in polls
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