Karnataka High Court
B.D.MANJUNATH - Appellant
Versus
STATE OF KARNATAKA - Respondent
Decided On : 10-29-04
W.P. : 35501 of 2004
ELECTION LAW
Postponement of elections - once calender of events is issued, elections cannot be postponed. See Karnataka Co-operative Societies Act, 1959, Section 39-A.
Cases Referred: AIR 1952 SC 816 Para 9; (1976) 1 SCC 204 Para 10 ; 1993 (4) SCC 175; ILR 2000 Kar 2572; AIR 1980 SC 354; ILR 1978 Kar 231; 1967 (2) MLJ 256; 1992 (3) Kar. L.J 462; AIR (39) 1952 SC 64; 1975 Supp. SCC 1; 1958 SCR 308: AIR 1957 SC 896.
Postponement of elections
KARNATAKA CO-OP SOCIETIES ACT, 1959
Section 39-A r/w Section 121, - Postponement of elections - Once calender of events is issued, elections cannot be postponed.
[N. K. Patil J]: As per Section 39A(4), the Government has got the power to postpone the elections only in cases, if there is any drought, flood, fire etc. The Government has got further power under Section 121 of the Act, to take a decision in respect of Societies, if it is just and proper. As rightly pointed out by the learned Counsel appearing for the petitioner, it is clear that the petitioners are not assailing or disputing the power envisaged by the statute to the Government under Section 39A (4) and Section 121 of the Co-operative Societies Act. Further, the Government has not taken into consideration that, huge sum of money had already spent by the respective Banks/Societies/Unions to make arrangement for holding elections and in sum of the Banks/Societies/Unions, calendar of events had issued and as per the calendar of events election process has been set in motion. When the election process has been set in motion, neither the Court nor the Government has got the power to interfere with the process of election which has been set in motion.
Cases Referred: AIR 1952 SC 816 Para 9; (1976) 1 SCC 204 Para 10 ; 1993 (4) SCC 175; ILR 2000 Kar 2572; AIR 1980 SC 354; ILR 1978 Kar 231; 1967 (2) MLJ 256; 1992 (3) Kar. L.J 462; AIR (39) 1952 SC 64; 1975 Supp. SCC 1; 1958 SCR 308: AIR 1957 SC 896.
Key Points:- The judgment discusses postponement of elections after a calendar of events has been issued and held that such postponement is typically impermissible, and the process should continue from the interruption point or resume with a rescheduled date. (!) (!) - It holds that once the election process has commenced (calendar issued, voters list published, nominations filed), government or court interference to postpone without proper authority is not permissible, and the process should proceed as originally planned or be rescheduled from the interruption point. (!) (!) - The court declares that notifications attempting to postpone when the calendar of events is in motion are not applicable to petitioners where the process has already started, and directs continuing the election process per the calendar from the interrupted stage. (!) (!) - The decision emphasizes that rights to vote/contest are statutory and subject to the act’s provisions, and public orders cannot override the established calendar of events without proper legal basis. (!) (!) - It references the remedy of proceeding with elections and declaring results as per the original or resumed calendar, rather than vacating or indefinitely postponing the process. (!)
( 1 ) IN all these cases, since common questions of fact and law are involved and these petitioners have sought the common reliefs, these petitions have been clubbed together and a common order has been passed.
( 2 ) IN Writ Petition No. 35501 of 2004, the petitioner has sought to declare that, the postponement of the election to the Board of management of the 3rd respondent-Bank scheduled to be held as per the calendar of events, vide Annexure-A, dated 10-8-2004, as illegal and without jurisdiction and also to direct the respondents to proceed with the election process as per the calendar of events from the stage, at which, it is interrupted by publication vide Annexure-C, dated 4-9-2004.
( 3 ) THE petitioner is claiming to be the member of the 3rd respondent- bank and he is eligible to contest in the election. The term of the office of the members of the Board of Management of the 3rd respondent- bank has come to an end. To elect the New Board of Directors by way of election, the 2nd respondent had issued the calendar of events on 10-8- 2004. As per the calendar of events, the voters list has been published on 27-8-2004 and the last date for filing the nominations was on 4-9-2004. The petitioner intending to contest the election from general seat has filed his nomination vide Annexure-B. Be that as it may, to shock and surprise of the petitioner, the 2nd respondent has issued a publication, postponing the election by referring a Government Order, vide annexure-C. The copy of the Government Order referred in Annexure-C, is produced at Annexure-D. Further, the petitioner contended that, the election process has already been commenced and he has already filed his nomination on the date fixed in the calendar of events and all the preparations are made for the election. Apart from the petitioner, many candidates have filed their nominations to contest the election. Be that as it may, in view of postponement of elections on the basis of the government Notification vide Annexures-C and D referred above, the petitioner felt necessitated to present this writ petition, seeking the reliefs as stated supra.
( 4 ) IN Writ Petition No. 35853 of 2004, the petitioner is assailing the correctness of the Notification vide Annexure-D, dated 1-9-2004 in No. CMW 37 CLM 2004 (P) issued by the 1st respondent, insofar as, it pertains to the Urban Co-operative Banks such as 3rd respondent. Further, the petitioner sought to direct the 2nd respondent to forthwith hold the election to the Committee of the 3rd respondent-Bank, in pursuance of the calender of events vide Annexure-A, dated 27-7-2004 bearing No. nil, issued by the 2nd respondent, by rescheduling the dates from the stage from where it was interrupted.
( 5 ) THE case of the petitioner is that, the 3rd respondent is the Co-operative bank. The term of the office of the Committee of the 3rd respondent-Bank came to an end by 31-3-2004. In pursuance of the government Order dated 20th February, 2004 issued by exercising power under Section 39-A read with Section 121 of the Co-operative societies Act, the election was postponed for six months and exempted the existing Committee from the operation of the provision of Sections 28-A (4j and 28-B of the Act, and continued the existing Committee, though the term had expired, in view of the election to the Assembly and parliament were declared to be held in the month of April and May 2004. After expiry of the said period and in pursuance of the government Order, the 2nd respondent has been appointed as a returning Officer The calendar of events was issued on 27-7-2004 fixing the date of election on 12-9-2004 The voters list was published or 27-8-2004 and the events of election has already started The petitioner has filed the nomination paper on 3-9 2004 vide Annexure-B At that stage, the Returning Officer has issued a communication stating that, the Committee of the 3rd respondent-Bank has passed a resolution to postpone the election as pe
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