Coop. polls likely in April

By Our Special Correspondent

HYDERABAD, DEC. 26. The Government is likely to go in for elections to the cooperative bodies some time in April.

This was the thinking at today's Cabinet meeting where the issue figured and the recommendations of the Sub-Committee on Cooperative Law and Reforms were considered.

Informed sources said the Cabinet felt that elections could be scheduled in summer after the budget session of the Assembly in February- March. It would be followed by polls to the local bodies.

The Minister for Cooperation, Mr. Chikkala Ramachandra Rao, is convener of the sub-committee comprising Ministers for Home, Excise, Tourism, Handlooms and Textiles, and Backward Classes Welfare, which studied the recommendations of the consultative committee on cooperative law and comprehensive reforms in the law.

The cooperative law will be suitably amended, incorporating the reforms and will be introduced in the budget session of the Assembly early next year. The following timeframe is fixed: drafting of amended legislation 15 days, verification by the Law Department 15 days, approval by Cabinet 7 days, framing of rules under enactment 15 days, awareness campaign to educate the coop. bodies about the amended law 15 days, conduct of general bodies to amend the bye-laws in tune with the amended Act 20 days and conduct of elections one month thereafter.

The proposed changes include: defaulter members cannot vote, photo identity cards, increased frequency of general body meetings, education fund at 1 per cent of gross profit to be levied, publication of defaulters' list, book of accounts and social audit, more powers to be transferred from the registrar to the societies, disqualification of members absenting from 3 general body meetings, failing to give the relevant information about self etc.

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Section  : Southern States
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