The eligibility of voters in cooperative elections must adhere to procedural rules; disputes over electoral lists should be resolved under the authority of the Karnataka Cooperative Societies Act, not through writ petitions unless under exceptional circumstances.

ORAL ORDER

Petitioners are seeking to direct respondent Nos.3 and 4 to include the names of petitioners in the eligible voters list and permit the petitioners to cast their votes in the election of respondent No.3 which was scheduled to be held on 08.01.2025.

2. This Court, by way of interim arrangement on 07.01.2025, permitted the petitioners to cast their votes in the ensuing elections scheduled to be held on 08.01.2025 to the Board of Directors of respondent No.3-society subject to the final outcome of this writ petition.

3. The challenge in this writ petition is on the premise that notice under Rule 13 of the Karnataka Co- Operative Societies Rules, 1960 (‘the KCS Rules, 1960’ for short) is not issued.

4. Rule 13-D of the KCS Rules, 1960 reads as under:

“13-D. Preparation of electoral rolls and calendar of events.–(1) Election Officer shall, after due verification, send a consolidated list of all co- operative societies in the district where elections are due at least 120 days before the date of expiry of the term of office of the boards to the Co-operative Election Authority indicating therein the following particulars.–

(a) the name and address of the society;

(b) number of elected directors of the board;

(c) the date of expiry of the term of office of the board;

(d) the proposed places where the elections are to be held or other particulars as required by the Co-operative Election Authority.

(2) The Co-operative Election Authority shall, on receipt of such reports from the Election Officer, containing the list of cooperative societies where elections are due, publish the calendar of events for the preparation of electoral rolls and the conduct of elections of the boards of the co- operative societies indicating the name and address of each society.

(2-A) The election officer shall take steps for publication of voter list who are not eligible to vote in the following manner, namely.–

(i) For publication of draft ineligible electoral list, the chief executive of every cooperative Society shall prepare notice in respect of members not attending three out of the last five annual general body, meetings and members not utilising such minimum services or facilities in a co-operative year as specified in the bye-laws for three consecutive co-operative years.

(ii) The chief executive of every co-operative society shall send above prepared notice to all ineligible members, fifteen days prior to six months to the date of election of the board by registered post and an opportunity shall be given to such member to file their objections, if any within fifteen days from the date of notice.

(iii) The chief executive of every co-operative society shall submit the list of ineligible voters to the election officer along with their objections and also produce the records pertaining to absence from general body meeting with attendance and services utilised by members. He has to produce the records for having sent the notice along with acknowledgement to the election officer within thirty days from the date of notice as specified by the election officer.

(iv) The chief executive of every cooperative society shall state in his notice that the ineligible voter can appear before the election officer between thirty days to sixty days from the date of notice to get the remedy.

v) The election officer has to hear and dispose the objections filed by the ineligible voters within sixty days from the days of submission of objections from such voters.

(vi) The final list of ineligible voters shall be published on or before fifteen clear days prior to the date of election.

(3) The Election Officer shall take steps for publication of voters list in the following manner, namely.–

(a) for publication of draft eligible list, a list of defaulters, a list of members whose repayment falls due, before the election date clear fifty days;

(b) for calling objections, if any, calling upon the defaulter members to repay the amounts due to the co-operative societies on or before thirty