SURJITSINH AMARSINH MANGROLA Vs. N R PRAJAPATI,ELECTION AUTHORITY BHARUCH DISTRICT CENTRAL CO-OPERATIVE BANK LTD

JUDGEMENT

(1.) As common facts and similar issues are involved in all the four Special Civil Applications, they were heard together and are being treated for disposal by this Court.

(2.) All the petitioners are aggrieved because their nomination paper for the elections to the Managing Committee of Bharuch District, Central Co- operative Bank Limited came to be rejected. They have challenged order dated 29th June, 2021, in all the cases, of the election officer - respondent No.1 herein, whereby, accepting the objections raised to the nominations, rejected the same.

(3.) The Bharuch District Central Co-operative Bank Limited is a specified society as under Section 74C of the Gujarat Co-operative Societies Act, 1961. The term of the Managing Committee of the said specified society was expired, however on account of situation arising out of COVID-19 pandemic, the elections could not be immediately held. The elections came to be notified as per the election programme dated 17th July, 2021. As per the said programme, the dates for obtaining the nominations were from 18th June, 2021 to 21st June, 2021. The last date for accepting the nominations was fixed as 28 th June, 2021. The list of nominations issued was to be published during 18th June, 2021 till 28th June, 2021. The date of scrutiny was 29th June, 2021. The list of validly nominaed candidates was to be published on 30th June, 2021. The nomination papers could be withdrawn upto 3.00 p.m. on 05th July, 2021. The list of contesting candidates is scheduled to be published on 06th July, 2021. The date of polling, if necessary, would be 16th July, 2021 and the counting would take place on 17th July, 2021 at the place and during the time indicated. The results are provided to be declared on the same date. Prior to the publication of the election programme, the election officer had undertaken the process of publication of list of voters.