New Delhi: The Cooperative Election Authority (CEA) convened its first consultative meeting with State Cooperative Election Authorities on 11 August 2025 in New Delhi to strengthen mechanisms that ensure free, fair, and transparent elections within cooperative bodies. The meeting was chaired by Shri Devendra Kumar Singh, Chairperson, Cooperative Election Authority, and attended by State Election Commissioners from Odisha, Bihar, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, and Maharashtra, along with senior officials from the Ministry of Cooperation.
Commitment Under PM Modi’s Leadership and Union Minister Amit Shah’s Guidance
Addressing the gathering, Shri Devendra Kumar Singh highlighted that under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi and the guidance of Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Shri Amit Shah, sweeping reforms have invigorated the cooperative sector. Since its establishment on 11 March 2024 under the Multi-State Cooperative Societies Act, 2002 (as amended in 2023), the CEA has conducted 159 cooperative elections and is in the process of overseeing 69 more.
The Chairperson noted that 2025, designated as the International Year of Cooperatives, provides a timely opportunity to push forward reforms and streamline election processes for maximum transparency and fairness.
Key Reform Discussions and Agenda of Cooperative Election Authority
The consultative meeting addressed several critical reform measures, including:
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Framing of a Code of Conduct for contesting candidates and Multi-State Cooperative Societies (MSCS).
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Fixing an upper limit on election expenditure incurred by candidates.
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Publication of a comprehensive handbook for Returning Officers to standardise election procedures.
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Guidelines for electing delegates from member cooperative societies to National Cooperative Societies.
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Consideration of Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) use in cooperative elections.
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Rules on share capital of members, use of electoral symbols, and application of indelible ink during polling.
Participants also shared state-specific insights and proposed harmonising various practices into standard manuals and codes for nationwide adoption.
Strengthening Institutional Dialogue
The CEA emphasised that the meeting marked the beginning of a regular quarterly consultative mechanism to collaborate with State Cooperative Election Authorities. This platform will serve to review progress, address operational challenges, and accelerate democratic reforms in the cooperative sector.
State-Level Representation
The meeting saw active participation from:
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Odisha – Shri Srikanta Prusty, State Cooperative Election Commission
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Bihar – Shri Girish Shankar, Bihar State Election Authority & Shri Kumar Shant Rakshit, Advisor
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Tamil Nadu – Thiru Dayanand Kataria, Commissioner, Tamil Nadu State Cooperative Societies Election Commission
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Maharashtra – Shri Anil Mahadeo Kawade, State Cooperative Election Authority & Shri Ashok Gade, Secretary
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Telangana – Shri G. Shrivinas Rao, Commissioner, Telangana Cooperative Election Authority
Conclusion: A Step Towards Stronger Cooperative Democracy
The first consultative meeting of the CEA with state counterparts marks a milestone in institutional collaboration, setting the foundation for uniform, transparent, and technology-driven cooperative elections across India. By aligning state and national practices under a common framework, and by introducing structured reforms like expenditure caps, EVMs, and standardised codes, the CEA is strengthening both the credibility and the democratic fabric of India’s vast cooperative network.
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Source: PIB
