Team Herald
PORVORIM: Minister of Cooperation Subhash Shirodkar introduced the Goa Co-operative Societies (Amendment) Bill 2023 in the State Legislative Assembly on Monday. The bill seeks to give the Registrar of Cooperative Societies (RCS) the power to disqualify directors of co-operative societies involved in irregularities, illegalities, or actions detrimental to the interest of the society. The amendment aims to act as a deterrent to illegal activities by the board of directors and will be considered and passed on Tuesday. According to the Minister, the sub-section (11) of Section 59 was previously amended in 2014 to give power to the RCS to take action against directors who acted in a manner detrimental to society’s interests. However, there was scope for the provision to be misconstrued as dealing only with removal from the present board of directors, without any future disqualification.
The bill mentions that whenever such tainted directors are disqualified due to grave irregularities/misappropriation which is detrimental to the interest of society and have direct impact on the administrative and financial affairs of the society, they don’t deserve to represent the concern society or any other society.
Therefore, disqualification should be for an indefinite period to protect the interest of the co-operative societies
in particular and co-operative movement in the State
at large.
