A national seminar on transparency and integrity in elections of multi state cooperative societies was held at Vigyan Bhavan in New Delhi, bringing together stakeholders from across the cooperative sector to deliberate on strengthening democratic governance and accountability in cooperative institutions.
The seminar was organised by the Cooperative Election Authority under the Ministry of Cooperation and was attended by chairpersons, chief executive officers and board members of multi state cooperative societies, returning officers, district magistrates, chairpersons of state cooperative election authorities, sector experts and senior officials from central and state governments.
Focus On Transparent Cooperative Governance
Addressing the gathering, Minister of State for Cooperation Krishan Pal Gurjar said the seminar marked an important step for the cooperative movement as it brought representatives of multi state cooperative societies from across the country on a single platform to discuss transparency and integrity in cooperative elections.
Krishan Pal Gurjar said the reforms introduced in the cooperative sector are advancing the vision of Sahkar se Samriddhi under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the guidance of Union Minister of Home Affairs and Cooperation Amit Shah.
He stated that the Government of India is working continuously to strengthen the cooperative ecosystem and create an enabling environment for sustainable cooperative development so that cooperatives can play a significant role in achieving the goal of a self reliant and developed India by 2047.
Reforms Under Multi State Cooperative Societies Amendment Act
Krishan Pal Gurjar highlighted that several reforms have been introduced through the Multi State Cooperative Societies Amendment Act 2023 to improve transparency accountability and democratic functioning within cooperative institutions.
One of the key reforms introduced under the amended legislation is the establishment of an independent Cooperative Election Authority which was formally notified on 11 March 2024.
The authority has been entrusted with ensuring free fair and transparent elections in multi state cooperative societies across the country.
Another major reform relates to fixing the tenure of boards of directors of multi state cooperative societies and removing provisions that previously allowed boards to continue indefinitely until elections were conducted.
Officials said this change has introduced greater discipline in governance and prevented delays in conducting elections.
Cooperative Election Authority Conducts Large Number Of Polls
Krishan Pal Gurjar informed that the Cooperative Election Authority has successfully conducted around 240 elections so far in various multi state cooperative societies.
He said about 70 elections are currently underway while the authority is expected to conduct around 130 additional elections in the coming financial year.
According to the Ministry of Cooperation these elections are strengthening democratic governance and accountability in cooperative institutions.
Reservation For Women And SC ST Members
The Minister of State for Cooperation also highlighted that the amended Act provides for reservation of two seats for women and one seat each for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes on the boards of multi state cooperative societies.
He said this provision is aimed at strengthening diversity and inclusiveness in cooperative governance.
However six seats reserved for women and thirteen seats reserved for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes remain vacant in elections conducted so far.
Krishan Pal Gurjar said the Ministry of Cooperation is taking necessary steps to ensure that these positions are filled.
Banking Regulation Reforms In Cooperative Sector
Krishan Pal Gurjar also referred to provisions under the Banking Regulation Amendment Act 2025 which align the tenure of boards of cooperative banks including multi state cooperative banks with the provisions of Article 243ZJ of the Constitution.
The amendments also strengthen transparency and accountability in cooperative banking institutions.
Under the Multi State Cooperative Societies Amendment Act 2023 cooperative banks are required to appoint auditors from a panel approved by the Central Registrar of Cooperative Societies.
Further amendments to the Banking Regulation Act 1949 stipulate that directors of multi state cooperative banks cannot hold office for more than ten consecutive years.
Officials said this measure will create opportunities for new and younger leadership in cooperative institutions.
Cooperative Ombudsman Protecting Members Interests
Krishan Pal Gurjar informed that the Government has also notified the appointment of a Cooperative Ombudsman through a gazette notification dated 5 March 2024 following amendments to the Multi State Cooperative Societies Act 2002.
The Ombudsman examines complaints filed by members of cooperative societies and acts as the appellate authority for appeals against the orders of Cooperative Information Officers.
According to the Minister more than 38000 complaints have been received so far and a large number of these grievances have already been addressed through orders issued by the Cooperative Ombudsman.
Importance Of Clear Election Procedures
Chairperson Cooperative Election Authority Devendra Kumar Singh also addressed the seminar and said the authority is now entering its third year of functioning and has gained valuable experience in conducting elections across different cooperative institutions.
Devendra Kumar Singh emphasised that cooperative societies operate on the principle of democratic member control and therefore the electoral process must remain transparent participatory and credible.
He stressed that clarity in the bye laws of cooperative societies is essential to avoid disputes during elections.
Devendra Kumar Singh said aspects such as voting rights active membership and eligibility criteria for contesting elections must be clearly defined so that the election process remains fair and free from ambiguity.
He also noted that in large multi state cooperative societies operating across several states and districts representation on the board must reflect the diversity of membership and remain representative of members interests.
Technical Sessions On Electoral Integrity
Two technical sessions were organised during the seminar focusing on the themes promoting transparency through elections and strengthening purity and integrity in electoral processes.
Participants engaged in detailed discussions on election management practices legal provisions and administrative mechanisms required to ensure fair and transparent cooperative elections.
Officials said the seminar concluded with a collective commitment to further strengthen transparency fairness and democratic participation in cooperative elections.
The deliberations are expected to contribute to reinforcing the cooperative movement as a key pillar of socio economic development and advancing the national vision of Sahkar se Samriddhi and Viksit Bharat by 2047.
