**Summary:**
On August 11, 2025, the Cooperative Election Authority (CEA), Ministry of Cooperation, held its inaugural consultative meeting with State Cooperative Election Authorities in New Delhi. The primary objective of the meeting was to establish a mechanism for ongoing dialogue with State authorities to ensure free, fair, and transparent elections within cooperative bodies. Chaired by Shri Devendra Kumar Singh, Chairperson, Cooperative Election Authority, the meeting included participation from State Election Commissioners from Odisha, Bihar, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, and Maharashtra, along with Shri R.K. Gupta, Vice Chairperson, and Shri Alok Agarwal, Cooperative Ombudsman. Shri Anand Kumar Jha, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Cooperation also participated in the deliberation.
Key discussion points included framing a Code of Conduct for contesting candidates and Multi-State Cooperative Societies (MSCS), establishing an upper expenditure limit for candidates, publishing a handbook for Returning Officers, and addressing the election of delegates from member Cooperative Societies within National Cooperative Societies. Participants also discussed the potential introduction of Electronic Voting Machines in cooperative elections and matters related to member share capital, the use of symbols for candidates, and the application of indelible ink.
Since March 2024, the CEA has conducted 159 elections and is currently managing 69 additional cooperative elections. Established on March 11, 2024, under Section 45 of the Multi-State Cooperative Societies Act of 2002 (amended in 2023), the CEA aims to streamline the election process and enhance transparency within Cooperative Societies. To further these goals, the CEA resolved to hold consultative meetings every three months.
Key Entities Referenced
Cooperative Election Authority: An authority established to conduct elections in cooperative societies in a free and fair manner.
State Cooperative Election Authorities: State-level bodies responsible for overseeing cooperative elections.
New Delhi: Location of the consultative meeting between the Cooperative Election Authority and State Cooperative Election Authorities.
Shri Narendra Modi: Prime Minister of India, whose leadership is credited with reforms in the Cooperative Sector.
Shri Amit Shah: Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation, guiding reforms in the Cooperative Sector.
MultiState Cooperative Society: A cooperative society with operations in more than one state in India.
MultiState Cooperative Societies Act of 2002: The act of parliament governing Multi-State Cooperative Societies.
International Year of Cooperatives: 2025 is being celebrated as International Year of Cooperatives
Ministry of Cooperation
Cooperative Election Authority (CEA) held its first
consultative meeting with State Cooperative Election
Authorities today in New Delhi
Meeting aimed to develop a mechanism of dialogue
with State Cooperative Election Authorities so that
the elections in cooperative bodies are conducted in
a free and fair manner
Under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra
Modi Ji and guidance of Union Home Minister and
Minister of Cooperation Shri Amit Shah, various
reforms in Cooperative Sectors are making it a
vibrant sector
CEA discussed matters relating to framing of Code of
Conduct for contesting candidates and Multi-State
Cooperative Society (MSCS)
CEA also discussed upper limit of expenditure by the
contesting candidates, publication of handbook for
the Returning Officers, election of delegates from
member Cooperative Societies who are members in
National Cooperative Societies
Posted On: 11 AUG 2025 4:14PM by PIB Delhi
The Cooperative Election Authority held its first consultative meeting with State Cooperative ElectionAuthorities today in New Delhi. The meeting aimed to develop a mechanism of dialogue with State
Cooperative Election Authorities so that the elections in cooperative bodies are conducted in a free and fair
manner and the process becomes more transparent. The meeting was chaired by Shri Devendra Kumar Singh,
Chairperson, Cooperative Election Authority which saw participation of the State Election Commissioners
from Odisha, Bihar, Tamil Nadu, Telangana and Maharashtra. Shri R. K. Gupta, Vice Chairperson and Shri
Alok Agarwal, Cooperative Ombudsman also participated. Shri Anand Kumar Jha, Joint Secretary, Ministry
of Cooperation took part in the deliberation.
Speaking on the occasion, Shri Devendra Kumar Singh, Chairperson, Cooperative Election Authority said that
under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi Ji and guidance of Union Home Minister and
Minister of Cooperation Shri Amit Shah Government has brought various reforms in the cooperative sector
including establishment of Cooperative Election Authority. The Cooperative Election Authority has so far
conducted 159 elections since March 2024 and is in the process of conducting 69 more such Cooperative
Elections. The Cooperative Election Authority was notified on 11 March 2024 in exercise of the Centre’s
powers conferred by section 45 of the Multi-State Cooperative Societies Act of 2002 and its amendment in
2023.Shri Devendra Kumar Singh said that 2025 is being celebrated as International year of Cooperatives and a lot
of reforms have been brought by the Government showing its commitment to the growth of Cooperative
sector. He said that the election process in Cooperative Societies need to be streamlined to foster transparency
in order to make the elections in cooperative societies free and fair.
The Chairperson, Cooperative Election Authority said that there is a need for standard manuals and codes of
conduct for cooperative elections. The discussion revolved around matters relating to framing of Code of
Conduct for contesting candidates and Multi-State Cooperative Society (MSCs), to fix upper limit of
expenditure by the contesting candidates, publication of handbook for the Returning Officers, election of
delegates from member Cooperative Societies who are members in National Cooperative Societies and other
agenda received from State. One of the agenda proposed by participating State Cooperative Election
Authorities included introduction of Electronic Voting Machine in cooperative election.
Shri Devendra Kumar Singh also brought up the discussion on the matters related to share capital of members,
use of symbols for the candidates and use of indelible inks in the cooperative elections and discussion ensued.
The CEA decided to hold the consultative committee meeting every three months to take forward the reform
process in cooperative elections.
The participants from States include, the State Election Commissioner from Odisha (Shri Srikanta Prusty,
State Cooperative Election Commission), Bihar (Shri Girish Shankar, Bihar State Election Authority along
with Shri Kumar Shant Rakshit, Advisor, Bihar State Election Commission), Tamil Nadu (Thiru Dayanand
Kataria, Commissioner, Tamil Nadu State Cooperative Societies Election Commission), Maharashtra (Shri.
Anil Mahadeo Kawade, State Cooperative Election Authority Maharashtra and Shri Ashok Gade, Secretary,Maharashtra State Election Authority) and Telangana (Shri G Shrivinas Rao, Commissioner, Telangana
Cooperative Election Authority)
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RK/VV/HS/PS
(Release ID: 2155046)