Kolhapur. The Bombay High Court has refused to grant an interim stay on the ordinance giving voting rights to four government-nominated directors of Gokul Dairy in Maharashtra. The court made it clear that the four nominated directors will be able to vote in the election for the post of chairman of the Kolhapur District Cooperative Milk Producers’ Union (Gokul Dairy) to be held on November 10. However, their votes will be kept separate from the votes of the elected directors. The court has also directed that the election process be videographed and photographed.
Votes of nominated directors to be kept in a separate ballot box. A bench of Justice Neeraj P. Dhote, while hearing a petition challenging the constitutional validity of the ordinance, said there was currently no ground to stay the ordinance. The court directed that after the counting of votes of the 25 elected directors and four government-nominated directors, their ballot papers be kept separately and safely. All documents and proceedings related to the election should also be preserved. The result of the chairman’s election will be subject to the final decision on the petition. The next hearing in the matter will be held on November 25.
Dispute grew after 13-12 contest. In the recent board election of Gokul Dairy, the panel led by Congress Legislative Council member Satej Patil won 13 of the 25 seats, while the Mahayuti-backed panel secured 12 seats. After this, the state government made a provision to nominate five members to large cooperative institutions, of whom four have been given voting rights. The opposition has alleged that the ordinance is an attempt to alter the balance of the electoral mandate. The state government, however, has described it as a step linked to the functioning of large cooperative institutions and public interest. Farmers and opposition leaders had also staged protests in Kolhapur against the ordinance. All sides will now be watching the next High Court hearing.
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