The regulatory authority under the Telangana Mutually Aided Cooperative Societies Act, 1995, has a statutory duty to consider and dispose of representations from members seeking a general body meeting under Section 24 when the society's board fails to act upon valid requisitions.

ORDER

Heard Sri M.Pratheek Reddy, learned counsel appearing on behalf of the petitioners, Sri E.Ravinder Reddy, learned Assistant Government Pleader for Cooperation appearing on behalf of the respondent Nos.1 and 2 and the learned counsel appearing on behalf of the respondent Nos.4 to 6.

2. The petitioner approached the Court seeking prayer as under:

“…to issue an appropriate writ, order or direction more in the nature of a writ of mandamus declaring the actions of Respondent No. 2 in failing to exercise its powers under Section 24 of the Telangana Mutually Aided Cooperative Societies Act, 1995 for the conduct of General Body Meeting of Respondent No. 3 Society pursuant to the Requisition dt. 14.02.2026 submitted by members of the said Society as illegal, arbitrary, unreasonable, unconstitutional, against the principles of natural justice and violative of the provisions of the said Act, to direct Respondent No. 2 to exercise its powers under Section 24 of the said Act by convening a General Body Meeting of Respondent No. 3 Society to consider the proposed agenda in Requisition dt. 14.02.2026 in a time-bound manner”

3. The case of the petitioner in brief as per the averments made in the affidavit filed by the petitioner in support of the present Writ Petition is as under:-

i) The petitioners are members of the 3rd respondent cooperative society. As per the bye-laws, the society’s Board consists of 12 directors with staggered terms, and upon retirement of four directors, eight members remained. However, due to alleged illegal acts and loss of confidence in Respondent Nos. 4 to 7, the society has become non-functional.

ii) In view of the administrative deadlock, 126 out of 248 members submitted a requisition dated 14.02.2026 seeking convening of a General Body Meeting to consider removal of certain directors and conduct fresh elections.

iii) Despite the requisition satisfying the statutory requirement and lapse of the prescribed 30-day period, the Board failed to act upon the same. Aggrieved by the same, the petitioner approached this Court by filing the present writ petition.

DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION:

4. The limited relief as prayed for by the petitioners in the present writ petition is a direction to Respondent No. 2 to consider and dispose of the petitioners’ representations dated 10.03.2026 and 27.03.2026, seeking the conduct of a general body meeting under Section 24 of the Telangana Mutually Aided Cooperative Societies Act, 1995 .

5. It is the specific case of the petitioners that, inspite of receipt of the petitioners’ representations dated 10.03.2026 and 27.03.2026 by the office of Respondent No. 2, and due acknowledgment thereof, no action has been initiated on the said representations as of date.

6. Learned counsel appearing on behalf of the petitioners further contends that, as per Section 24 (3) of the Act, Respondent No. 2 has a bounden duty to consider the grievance of the petitioners as put forth in the petitioners’ representations dated 10.03.2026 and 27.03.2026 in accordance to law, however, Respondent No. 2 has failed to discharge his statutory duty.

7. Learned counsel appearing on behalf of the respondent Nos.4 to 6 submits that respondent No.2 may be directed to consider the grievance of the petitioners as put forth in the petitioners representations dated 10.03.2026 and 27.03.2026 seeking conduct of general body meeting of the respondent No.3 s