SMT. KEMPAJAMMA Vs. THE DEPUTY REGISTRAR

JUDGEMENT

(1.) These intra-Court appeals are directed against the order dated 29.01.2018 in W.P.Nos.57967-57970/2017 and 58080- 58083/2017, whereby a learned Single Judge of this Court has rejected the appellants' challenge to the order dated 08.12.2017, as passed by the Deputy Registrar of Co-operative Societies, Mandya, declining an application for stay during the pendency of appeal against the order of their disqualification, as issued by the Assistant Registrar of Co-operative Societies, Mandya Sub- Division on 22.11.2017.

(2.) Briefly put, the relevant background aspects of the matter are that the petitioners/appellants, who had been the office bearers of respondent No.4 -The Milk Producers Women's Co- operative Society Limited, Gulagatta Grama, were subjected to the aforesaid order dated 22.11.2017 by the Assistant Registrar of Co-operative Societies, Mandya Sub-Division, on the allegations, inter alia, that the Annual General Body Meeting ('AGM') dated 16.09.2017 was conducted without securing and placing the Annual Audit Report before the General Body of the Society. Against the said order dated 22.11.2017, the petitioners/appellants have preferred an appeal bearing No.DRY/DAP/13/2017-18 that remains pending with the Deputy Registrar of Co-operative Societies, Mandya. In the said appeal, the petitioners/appellants sought an interim relief, of stay over the order passed by the Assistant Registrar of Co-operative Societies. The Appellate Authority, however, rejected the prayer for interim relief in its impugned order dated 08.12.2017, while observing as under:

(3.) Seeking to challenge the order aforesaid, the petitioners/appellants preferred the writ petitions and contended before the learned Single Judge that the responsibility of securing the Annual Audit Report had been on the shoulders of the Secretary of Society, who had failed to discharge her duties resulting in the AGM being conducted without such Audit Report. It was also asserted that there was misappropriation of more than Rs.3 lakhs by the said Secretary and hence, a notice was issued to her and she was placed under suspension.