CHENNAI: THE first bench of the Madras High Court has directed co-operative societies in the State to carry on their day-to-day functions as usual.
The status quo already granted by the court in connection with three phases of election conducted to the societies will not stand in the way of carrying out the day-to-day functions of such societies, the bench of Chief Justice Indira Banerjee and Justice P T Asha clarified on Monday.
The bench made the clarification after concluding the final hearing of over 400 petitions alleging irregularities in the elections and posted the matter to July 7 for further hearing.
The petitioners as well as the authorities concerned shall file their respective written arguments before that.
A division bench of the Madurai High Court on April 9 ordered status quo on the elections conducted in phases II, III and IV to a section of societies. Subsequently, since both benches were flooded with similar petitions, all pleas were tagged together before the first bench, here.
The TN State Co-operatives Election Commission on March 5 last announced elections to 18,775 societies, including 18,435 primary co-operative societies that come under the State’s 15 departments.
The commission decided to hold a four-phase election to the primary cooperative societies.