(i) Issue a writ in the nature of mandamus directing
the 5th respondent to permit the petitioner to
contest in the election held to the 4th respondent
society on 29.12.2024.
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(ii) Issue a writ in the nature of mandamus directing
the 5th respondent to permit the petitioner to vote
in the election held to the 4th respondent-Society
on 29.12.2024.
2. This Court, by way of an interim arrangement on
19.12.2024, permitted the petitioner to cast his vote and
the vote cast by the petitioner to be kept in separate ballot
box and not to mix with the other votes cast by other
members for the election that was scheduled on
29.12.2024.
3. The petitioner's prayer to contest the election was
not accorded by this Court. There are materials produced
before the Court to indicate the eligibility of the petitioner
to contest the election. The question is about the eligibility
of the petitioner to contest the election, is disputed
question of fact which has to be raised and adjudicated by
raising a dispute under Section 70 of the Karnataka
Co-Operative Societies Act, 1959 (hereinafter referred to
as "Act" for Short). Section 70 of the Act reads as under:
NC: 2025:KHC:5040
"70. Disputes which may be referred to
Registrar for decision.-(1) Notwithstanding
anything contained in any law for the time being in
force, if any dispute touching the constitution,
management, or the business of a co-operative
society arises.-
(a) among members, past members and persons
claiming through members, past members and
deceased members, or
(b) between a member, past member or person
claiming through a member, past member or
deceased member and the society, its board
or any officer, agent or employee of the
society, or
(c) between the society or its board and any past
board, any officer, agent or employee, or any
past officer, past agent or past employee or
the nominee, heirs, or legal representatives of
any deceased officer, deceased agent, or
deceased employee of the society, or
(d) between the society and any other co-
operative society, or a credit agency.
such dispute shall be referred to the Registrar for
decision and no civil or Labour or Revenue Court or
Industrial Tribunal shall have jurisdiction to
entertain any suit or other proceeding in respect of
such dispute.
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(2) For the purposes of sub-section (1), the
following shall be deemed to be disputes touching
the constitution, management or the business of a
co-operative society, namely.-
(a) a claim by the society for any debt or demand
due to it from a member or the nominee, heirs
or legal representatives of a deceased
member, whether such debt or demand be
admitted or not;
(b) a claim by a surety against the principal
debtor where the society has recovered from
the surety any amount in respect of any debt
or demand due to it from the principal debtor,
as a result of the default of the principal
debtor whether such debt or demand is
admitted or not;
(c) any dispute arising in connection with the
election of a President, Vice-president or any
office-bearer or Member of board of the
society.
(d) any dispute between a co-operative society
and its employees or past employees or heirs
or legal representatives of a deceased
employee, including a dispute regarding the
terms of employment, working conditions and
disciplinary action taken by a co-operative
society notwithstanding anything contrary
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contained in the Industrial Disputes Act, 1947
(Central Act 14 of 1947);
(e) a claim by a co-operative society for any
deficiency caused in the assets of the co-
operative society by a member, past member,
deceased member or deceased officer, past
agent or deceased agent or by any servant,
past servant or deceased servant or by its
board, past or present whether such loss be
admitted or not.
(3) If any question arises whether a dispute
referred to the Registrar under this section is a
dispute touching the constitution, management or
the business of a co-operative society, the decision
thereon of the Registrar shall be final and shall not
be called in question in any court.
(4) xxxxx
(5) x x x x x"
4. The Co-Ordinate Bench of this Court in the case
of Sri. B Ganganna and others Vs. The State of
Karnataka, Department of Co Operation and others1
(B Ganganna) had given deliberate consideration to the
provisions of Rule 13-D of the KCS Rules, 1960 and
ILR 2024 KAR 1901
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adjudication of dispute under Section 70 of the Karnataka
Co-Operative Societies Act, 1959 ('KCS Act, 1959' for
short). The Co-Ordinate Bench of this Court framed the
following points for consideration at paragraph No.9, which
reads as under:
"9. In the light of the contentions raised,
the following questions arise for consideration;
(a) Whether a writ petition under Article 226
of the Constitution of India is maintainable (before
the publication of the calendar of events under Rule
14) to redo the voters' list for violation of Rule 13-
D(2-A) of the Rules, 1960, in preparing the eligible
and ineligible voters' list?
(b) Whether the authority acting under
Section 70(2)(c) of the Act, 1959 can decide the
validity of the electoral roll vis-à-vis Rule 13-D(2-A)
of Rules, 1960?
(c) Whether the judgments of co-ordinate
Bench of this Court in Mohammad Beary and H.S.
Raju supra are per incurium and contrary to the law
in Election Commission of India through
Secretary supra."
(Emphasis supplied)
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5. The Co-Ordinate Bench after giving deliberate
consideration to various judgments has held at paragraph
Nos.50 and 51 as under:
"50. For the reasons recorded, this Court
concludes as under:
(a) The preparation of electoral roll under Rule,
13-D(2-A) of the Karnataka Co-Operative
Rules 1960 is an integral part of the election
process in the context of a question whether
the writ petition is maintainable when the
challenge is laid to the procedure initiated for
preparing electoral roll.
(b) In a dispute under Section 70(2)(c) of the
Karnataka Co-operative Societies Act, 1959,
the Authority under Section 70 can decide the
question on the validity of electoral roll
prepared under the Rules, 1960 and its impact
on the election.
(c) The judgments in MOHAMMAD BEARY and
H.S. RAJU are not per incurium
(d) The writ petition under Article 226 of
Constitution of India to challenge the electoral
roll on the ground of non compliance of Rule
13-D(2-A) of Rules, may lie in exceptional
cases.
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51. Based on the conclusions arrived at in
the facts and circumstances of the case, this Court
is of the view that no exceptional case is made out
in this petition to exercise Article 226 jurisdiction.
This Court has not expressed any opinion on the
eligible and ineligible voters' list prepared during the
pendency of the petition. Hence, the following:
ORDER
Writ petition is disposed of on the following
terms:
(i) The returning officer shall count the votes cast
in the election held on 21.01.2024, to the
Board of the 6th respondent bank, and shall
announce the results.
(ii) The liberty is reserved to the petitioners or
any aggrieved person to raise objections to
the validity of the electoral roll in an election
petition under Section 70(2)(c) of the
Karnataka Co-operative Societies Act, 1959.
(iii) If such a dispute is raised, the Authority under
Section 70 of the Karnataka Co-operative
Societies Act, 1959, shall examine all
questions including the question relating to
validity of the eligible and ineligible voters' list
and impact on the election to the Board of the
6th respondent - Bank.
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(iv) Nothing is expressed on the merits of the
eligible and ineligible voters' list published
during the pendency of the petition and said
question kept open to be decided in the
dispute under Section 70 of the Karnataka Co-
operative Societies Act, 1959, if raised."
6. There is an alternative efficacious remedy
provided under Section 70 of Act, no exceptional
circumstances is made out by the petitioner for
adjudication under Article 226 of the Constitution.
7. For the forgoing reasons, the present petition is
dismissed with liberty to approach the appropriate Court.
All contentions of the parties are kept open to be urged
before the appropriate authority.
Sd/-
(JUSTICE K.S. HEMALEKHA)
VS
