Team Goemkarponn
PANAJI: The Goa High Court has sought the complete official record behind the decision to place the management of Goa Dairy under the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB), with the dispute also involving the long-pending elections of the cooperative.
The direction was issued while hearing a petition filed by Anup Desai and others, who have sought directions for elections to the Goa State Cooperative Milk Producers’ Union Limited.
The petitioners have questioned the decision to transfer the cooperative’s administration to the NDDB, contending that the move should not be used to circumvent or delay the electoral process. They have also relied on provisions governing cooperative societies, including Rule 42.
The State government has defended the arrangement by pointing to a general body resolution passed on September 30, 2024.
According to the government, the resolution was unanimous and provided for the management and liabilities of Goa Dairy to be entrusted to the NDDB for two years, with an extension of up to one additional year.
The arrangement was proposed against the backdrop of the cooperative’s financial difficulties. The government subsequently granted approval and issued a no-objection on August 6 this year. A memorandum of understanding between the Goa Dairy administrator and NDDB followed on August 7.
The High Court during Wednesday’s proceedings also focused on the legal route available to the petitioners for challenging the general body resolution.
The court noted that a resolution already passed by the cooperative could not be challenged merely through oral submissions in writ proceedings when the governing law provides a statutory forum for such disputes.
The petitioners informed the court that they had approached the Registrar of Cooperative Societies on September 11 with a formal challenge to the resolution.
Against this backdrop, the court directed the Registrar to submit an affidavit within two weeks, along with the August 6 government order, August 7 MoU and other relevant decisions concerning the transfer of management.
The petitioners have been granted one week after receipt of the affidavit to file their rejoinder.
The matter will next come up before the High Court on October 7.
