- (1.) The petitioners were elected as the Directors of the respondent no.5, The Rampurhat Co-operative Agriculture and Rural Development Bank Limited (in short the 'Co-operative Bank'). It was on October 23, 2011 when the annual general meeting of the Co-operative bank was held for constitution of its new Board of Directors and the new Board of Directors were elected on November 17, 2011 under the provisions of the West Bengal Co-operative Societies Act, 2006 (in short "the Act of 2006"). The Board of Directors of a Co-operative Bank can continue to function for a period of 60 months from the date of assumption of office and it is obligatory on the part of the Co- operative Election Commission to hold an election for constitution of new Board of Directors and election of the new Directors.
(2.) In this writ petition the petitioners have challenged the notification dated October 21, 2016 issued by the respondent no. 4 directing the Chief Executive Officer of the Co-operative Bank to assume charge of the affairs of the Bank.
(3.) According to Mr. Bikash Ranjan Bhattacharjee learned senior counsel appearing for the petitioners, in the present case the period of five years of the life of the present Board of Directors of the Co-operative Bank expires on November 16, 2016 and, as such, there is no scope for the respondent no. 4 to issue the impugned notification.;