Sher-e-Punjab housing society election stayed

Society members allege enrolment of bogus voters, procedural and legal lapses

A division bench of the Bombay High Court on Friday stayed the election to the managing committee of the Sher-e-Punjab Cooperative Housing Society in  Andheri (East), till further orders. The election was scheduled to be held on June 24.

The bench, comprising Chief Justice Swatantra Kumar and Justice SC Dharmadhikari, ordered the Deputy Registrar of State Cooperative Housing Societies to file his reply to the issues raised by the plaintiffs.

The court order came in response to a petition filed by society members, KK Parmar, Gurnam Singh Hothi and others, challenging the procedural and other legal lapses committed by the incumbent managing committee, headed by Chairman PS Bindra.

The petitioners further alleged that a large number of bogus members were enrolled during the last three years, bypassing established rules and regulations.

The Deputy Registrar will now have to scrutinise the voters named in the petition and file his reply within 15 days.
The Deputy Registrar was earlier served a notice on June 6. However, he failed to attend the court and submit his report on Friday, according to the petitioners’ advocate MP Vashi.

The petitioners alleged that more than 477 bogus members were added to the list of voters. The Sher-e-Punjab Housing Society, with 1,251 members, is the largest cooperative housing society in the city.