CUTTACK: The Odisha High Court has stayed the Odisha State Cooperative Bank (OSCB) managing director’s order disqualifying T Prasad Rao Dora from functioning as the member as well as president of the committee of management of the bank.
The OSCB managing director had issued the order on August 9, 2024 after receiving a letter from the registrar of cooperative societies (RCS) which said Rao had been disqualified from continuing as a member as well as president of the managing committee after enquiry into financial irregularities.
While admitting a petition filed by Rao challenging the order, the single judge bench of Justice KR Mohapatra issued notices to the OSCB and State Cooperative Election Commission (SCEC) and passed the interim stay on August 22.
After hearing the submissions of senior advocate Ashok Kumar Parija on Rao’s behalf and advocate Kali Prasad Nanda on behalf of OSCB and SCEC, Justice Mohapatra said there was no material available on record to prima facie form an opinion that the petitioner had acquired disqualification.
“Since this court finding a prima facie case in favour of the petitioner directed for issuance of notice, the petitioner should be protected during pendency of the writ petition. Accordingly, it is directed that disqualification of the petitioner as a member and president of the committee of management of the Odisha State Co-operative Bank, Bhubaneswar, as communicated on August 9, 2024 shall remain stayed till the next date,” Justice Mohapatra said.
“The petitioner shall continue as the member and president of the Odisha State Co-operative Bank Limited, Bhubaneswar, till then,” Justice Mohapatra added and posted the matter to October 4, 2024 for further hearing.