CUTTACK: The Orissa High Court has stayed the suspension of the managing committees of Odisha Cooperative Housing Corporation (OCHC) and Odisha State Cooperative Bank (OSCB) till August 28.
The single judge bench of Justice BP Routray on Tuesday asked advocate general Pitambar Acharya to produce the records relating to the July 31 order of the Registrar of Cooperative Societies (RCS) suspending the managing committees of OCHC and OSCB over allegations of corruption and financial irregularities.
Seven members of the manging committees of OCHC and OCSB had filed separate petitions challenging the suspension order. Five petitions were filed by Niranjan Pradhan, Biswaranjan Mohanty, Pratap Chandra Maharana, Jatadhari Pradhan and Arjuna Swain, members of managing committee of OCHC, while OSCB members Sanyasi Pradhan and Imran Khan filed two other petitions. Senior advocates Milan Kanungo, Ashok Kumar Parija, Buddhadev Routray and Prafulla Kumar Rath represented the petitioners.
While issuing separate identical orders on the petitions, Justice Routray said, “Normally this court refrains from granting interim protection in matters relating to suspension. But the facts of this case reveal that the petitioner is a member of the duly elected committee and his duration of continuance will be reduced by the order of suspension and there is no financial irregularity alleged against the petitioner.”
Justice Routray further issued notices to the RCS and additional secretary Cooperation department and directed for listing of the petitions on August 28.
The RCS had suspended the managing committees of OCHC and OSCB as per Section 32(7) of the Odisha Cooperative Societies Act, 1962.
During the period of suspension, the commissioner-cum-secretary of Cooperation department will manage the affairs of the two apex cooperative bodies, the order said.