Minister Mushrif Says Ready For Sharing Power If Opposition Camp Wants To
Gokaul dairy
Kolhapur : Maharashtra govt on Friday promulgated an ordinance to amend the Maharashtra Cooperative Societies Act, 1960, to appoint five govt-nominated members to the boards of federal cooperative societies with an annual turnover exceeding Rs 500 crore and granted four of them voting rights. The election to the chairperson post of Gokul, a Rs 3,000-crore cooperative dairy in Maharashtra, is stuck as Mahayuti alliance won 12 posts and Samavichari Aghadi won 13, both not meeting the quorum required for the election of 14 in the 25-member body. The ordinance will be called the Maharashtra Cooperative Societies (Amendment) Act, 2026. A new proviso will be added after the fifth proviso in section 73AAA (2) of the Maharashtra Cooperative Societies Act, 1960, according to the ordinance. The next meeting to elect the chairperson is scheduled for Nov 10 following interim directions of Bombay high court. Notices have been issued to the 25 elected directors. We hope that in Nov 10 chairperson election meeting, these additional members don’t get to vote or govt postpone the election after this ordinance,” Satej Patil told TOI . Impact on Gokul chairperson election Gokul dairy has 25 elected directors. If the ordinance is implemented, Gokul board will have 30 members with 29 of them having voting rights. The quorum required is 50%+1. For Gokul dairy, the number would be 16. Mahayuti, with 12 elected directors and the backing of four nominated members with voting rights, can easily attain quorum without Samavichari Aghadi panel’s 12 directors.
Because you couldn’t gain power over Gokul, you’re immediately setting aside all your principles and now taking out marches in the name of ‘saving democracy’,” wrote the MNS chief on his X account on Friday. You Can Also Check: Gold Rate in Kolhapur | Silver Rate in Kolhapur | Bank Holidays in Kolhapur | Public Holidays in Kolhapur Stay updated with the latest Kolhapur news.
The ordinance came hours after NCP minister Hasan Mushrif said that if Samavichari Aghadi led by Congress’s Satej Patil came up with a proposal for the chairperson election, they would consider it. The move comes amid the ongoing logjam over the election to the chairperson post of Gokul dairy. However, there are apprehensions that if the election remains inconclusive and govt nominees are appointed before a subsequent meeting, the balance of power on the board could shift. “If Mahayuti govt really intended to end the deadlock, it could have amended the bylaw and held simple majority to supersede above quorum requirement. Now, Mahayuti will have quorum strength and majority, what was the purpose of holding the election, what about independence of the cooperatives. MNS chief questions BJP MNS chief Raj Thackeray questioned BJP’s ‘Save Democracy’ marches and wondered why the party had decided to appoint five directors with voting rights after the loss in Gokul dairy. “If you truly cared about democracy or were genuinely concerned about it, you wouldn’t have done something like this. Download the TOI App.
The state cabinet had earlier this week passed a decision proposing an ordinance to amend the Act. It was forwarded to the governor for his consideration, who gave his sanction on Friday evening and the ordinance was issued. Earlier in the day, minister for medical education Hasan Mushrif said on Friday that if Patil wants to have a Samavichari Aghadi director as the chairperson of Gokul dairy, then he should come up with a proposal. Mushrif and minister Chandrakant Patil of BJP met in Kolhapur on Friday to discuss the Gokul dairy row.
It states that one officer not below the rank of assistant registrar and four individuals experienced in the functioning of cooperative societies will be appointed as members to cooperative boards that have an annual turnover of over Rs 500 crore. Govt officer will not have voting rights. The four nominated members will be entitled to vote on the board of directors, though they will not be eligible to contest elections for office bearer posts.