A temporary appointee to a Person-in-Charge Committee for a co-operative society possesses no vested legal right to continue in office, and a court’s directive to statutory authorities to appoint a new committee to facilitate fresh elections does not require the impleadment of such interim appointees.

JUDGMENT

Heard Sri Vedula Srinivas, learned Senior Counsel representing Sri A.Raja Chandra Shekhar Goud, learned counsel for the appellant; Sri K.V.Rusheek Reddy, learned counsel for respondent Nos.1 to 3; Sri A.Jagan, learned Government Pleader for Prohibition & Excise appearing for respondent No.4; Sri Syed Qadeer, learned Government Pleader for Cooperation appearing for respondent No.5 and perused the record.

2. The appellant, who claims to be a member of respondent No.9-Toddy Tappers Co-operative Society Limited, Chintal Basthi, Hyderabad (hereinafter referred to as “the Society”) and was appointed as the Chairman of the Three Member Person-in-Charge (PIC) Committee thereof by proceedings dated 13.10.2025 has preferred the present appeal under Clause 15 of the Letters Patent , assailing the common order dated 25.02.2026 passed by the learned Single Judge in W.P.Nos.5234 and 12402 of 2025. By the said common order, the learned Single Judge has dismissed W.P.No.5234 of 2025 and allowed W.P.No.12402 of 2025 by directing the respondents to appoint a Person-in-Charge to conduct elections to the respondent No.9-Society.

Factual matrix (in brief)

3. The respondent No.9-Society is registered under the provisions of the Telangana Co-operative Societies Act, 1964 (for short, “1964 Act”). The last elections to the Managing Committee of the said Society were conducted on 13.12.2014, and the tenure of the elected body came to an end in December, 2019. Thereafter, the affairs of the respondent No.9-Society were managed by a Person-in-Charge (PIC) Committee appointed by the competent authority.

4. In order to conduct fresh elections, steps were initiated for preparation of the list of eligible members/voters. Disputes arose with regard to the inclusion and exclusion of certain members, leading to multiple representations. The respondent No.4 (Functional Registrar), issued proceedings dated 05.10.2021, directing restoration of certain members. Pursuant thereto, a final voters list was prepared, and elections were conducted on 06.06.2022, resulting in the constitution of a newly elected Managing Committee.

5. Aggrieved thereby, the respondents herein (who were the writ petitioners in W.P.No.12402 of 2025) instituted O.P.No.14 of 2022 before the Co-operative Tribunal under Section 61(3) of the 1964 Act, calling in question the validity of the said elections. By order dated 23.01.2025, the Tribunal allowed the election petition, set aside the elections held on 06.06.2022, and directed the official respondents to take necessary steps for conducting fresh elections to the Society.

6. Challenging the aforesaid order of the Tribunal, the respondent No.9 society along with elected members of the Managing Committee preferred W.P.No.5234 of 2025 before this Court. By order dated 19.03.2025, the learned Single Judge granted an interim suspension of the Tribunal’s order and permitted the elected committee to continue in office pending further adjudication.

7. During the pendency of the said writ petition, the President and Vice-President of the respondent No.9-Society tendered their resignations on 07.10.2025. Consequent thereto, respondent No.4 issued proceedings dated 13.10.2025, appointing a three-member PIC Committee, with the appellant herein as its Chairman, to manage the affairs of the Society.

8. Meanwhile the respondents herein (petitioners in the election petition) filed W.P.No.12402 of 2025, seeking a direction to the official respondents to appoint a Person-in-Charge Committee and to conduct fresh elections in terms of the Tribunal’s order date