- 1 - NC: 2025:KHC-D:906 WP No. 107867 of 2024 IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA, DHARWAD BENCH DATED THIS THE 20TH DAY OF JANUARY, 2025 BEFORE THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE M.NAGAPRASANNA WRIT PETITION NO.107867 OF 2024 (CS-EL/M) BETWEEN: 1. DINESH VIDHAYDHAR KHANDEKAR AGE; 45 YEARS R/O: KINNAR TQ: KARWAR DIST: UTTARA KANNADA MEMBERSHIP NO. 1414 SL.NO.222 2. VIDYADHAR KRISHNA KHANDEKAR AGE; 45 YEARS R/O: KINNAR TQ: KARWAR DIST: UTTARA KANNADA MEMBERSHIP NO. 526 SL.NO.3 3. VILAS SAIROBA KOTHARKAR AGE;40 YEARS R/O: KINNAR TQ: KARWAR- DIST: UTTARA KANNADA MEMBERSHIP NO. SL.NO. 4. PRAMOD THAKU NAGEKAR AGE; 55 YEARS R/O: KINNAR TQ: KARWAR- DIST: UTTARA KANNADA MEMBERSHIP NO. SL.NO. VISHAL NINGAPPA PATTIHAL Digitally signed by VISHAL NINGAPPA PATTIHAL Location: High Court of Karnataka Dharwad Bench Date: 2025.01.22 11:00:46 +0530 - 2 - NC: 2025:KHC-D:906 WP No. 107867 of 2024 5. AMIT AHOK KALGUTKAR AGE; 35 YEARS R/O: KINNAR TQ: KARWAR- DIST: UTTARA KANNADA MEMBERSHIP NO. SL.NO. 6. PRASHANT RAGHUNATH NAGEKAR AGE; 36 YEARS R/O: KINNAR TQ: KARWAR- DIST: UTTARA KANNADA MEMBERSHIP NO. SL.NO. 7. GOKULDAS SHIVA GUNAGI AGE; 25 YEARS R/O: KINNAR TQ: KARWAR- DIST: UTTARA KANNADA MEMBERSHIP NO. SL.NO. 8. PRABHAKAR TUKOBA NAGEKAR AGE; 36 YEARS R/O: KINNAR TQ: KARWAR- DIST: UTTARA KANNADA MEMBERSHIP NO. SL.NO. 9. PRABHAVATI PRABHAKAR NAGEKAR AGE; 54 YEARS R/O: KINNAR TQ: KARWAR- DIST: UTTARA KANNADA MEMBERSHIP NO. SL.NO. 10. VIDYADHAR RAM CHINCHREKAR AGE;58 YEARS R/O: KINNAR TQ: KARWAR- - 3 - NC: 2025:KHC-D:906 WP No. 107867 of 2024 DIST: UTTARA KANNADA MEMBERSHIP NO. SL.NO. 11. ISMAIL ABDUL RAHIMAN SHAIKH AGE; 60 YEARS R/O: KINNAR TQ: KARWAR- DIST: UTTARA KANNADA MEMBERSHIP NO. SL.NO. 12. VIJAYKUMAR G. KOTHARKAR AGE; 36 YEARS R/O: KINNAR TQ: KARWAR- DIST: UTTARA KANNADA MEMBERSHIP NO. SL.NO. 13. HEETESH J. TALEKAR AGE; 63 YEARS R/O: KINNAR TQ: KARWAR- DIST: UTTARA KANNADA MEMBERSHIP NO. SL.NO. 14. MANOJ ULLAS PEDNEKAR AGE; 58 YEARS R/O: KINNAR TQ: KARWAR- DIST: UTTARA KANNADA MEMBERSHIP NO. SL.NO. 15. BALACHANDRA GOPALKRISHNA NAIK AGE; 56 YEARS R/O: KINNAR TQ: KARWAR- DIST: UTTARA KANNADA MEMBERSHIP NO. SL.NO. - 4 - NC: 2025:KHC-D:906 WP No. 107867 of 2024 16. SUNIL VIDHYADHAR CHENCHREKAR AGE;63 YEARS R/O: KINNAR TQ: KARWAR- DIST: UTTARA KANNADA MEMBERSHIP NO. SL.NO. 17. ASHOK DEVENDRA KOTHARKAR AGE; 36 YEARS R/O: KINNAR TQ: KARWAR- DIST: UTTARA KANNADA MEMBERSHIP NO. SL.NO. 18. SHRIPAD DEVENDRA KOTHARKAR AGE; 63 YEARS R/O: KINNAR TQ: KARWAR- DIST: UTTARA KANNADA MEMBERSHIP NO. SL.NO. 19. PRAKASH RAMESH DHUNI AGE; 41 YEARS R/O: KINNAR TQ: KARWAR- DIST: UTTARA KANNADA MEMBERSHIP NO. SL.NO. 20. MALLESH GOPALKRISHNA KOTHARKAR AGE; 25 YEARS R/O: KINNAR TQ: KARWAR- DIST: UTTARA KANNADA MEMBERSHIP NO. SL.NO. 21. ULLAS M. GOVEKAR AGE; 52 YEARS - 5 - NC: 2025:KHC-D:906 WP No. 107867 of 2024 R/O: KINNAR TQ: KARWAR- DIST: UTTARA KANNADA MEMBERSHIP NO. SL.NO. 22. SATISH VISHAWAMATH KOTHARKAR AGE;32 YEARS R/O: KINNAR TQ: KARWAR- DIST: UTTARA KANNADA MEMBERSHIP NO. SL.NO. 23. SOMANATH GOYAR GOVEKAR AGE; 52 YEARS R/O: KINNAR TQ: KARWAR- DIST: UTTARA KANNADA MEMBERSHIP NO. SL.NO. 24. MEERA KOYAR GOVEKAR AGE; 44 YEARS R/O: KINNAR TQ: KARWAR- DIST: UTTARA KANNADA MEMBERSHIP NO. SL.NO. 25. KASHINATH GOMA NAGEKAR AGE;34 YEARS R/O: KINNAR TQ: KARWAR- DIST: UTTARA KANNADA MEMBERSHIP NO. SL.NO. 26. LAVA OMAN GOVEKAR AGE; 36 YEARS R/O: KINNAR TQ: KARWAR- DIST: UTTARA KANNADA MEMBERSHIP NO. - 6 - NC: 2025:KHC-D:906 WP No. 107867 of 2024 SL.NO. 27. SANJAY ANANT PEDNEKAR AGE;25 YEARS R/O: KINNAR TQ: KARWAR- DIST: UTTARA KANNADA MEMBERSHIP NO. SL.NO. 28. ANANDU N. GUNAGI AGE; 65 YEARS R/O: KINNAR TQ: KARWAR- DIST: UTTARA KANNADA MEMBERSHIP NO. SL.NO. 29. TULASIDAS SHIVA GUNAGI AGE; 66 YEARS R/O: KINNAR TQ: KARWAR- DIST: UTTARA KANNADA MEMBERSHIP NO. SL.NO. 30. SAROJA TULASIDAS GUNAGI AGE; 42 YEARS R/O: KINNAR TQ: KARWAR- DIST: UTTARA KANNADA MEMBERSHIP NO. SL.NO. 31. KUSHALI MURARI GUNAGI AGE; 35 YEARS R/O: KINNAR TQ: KARWAR- DIST: UTTARA KANNADA MEMBERSHIP NO. SL.NO. 32. VIDAYA VINAYAK GUNAGI - 7 - NC: 2025:KHC-D:906 WP No. 107867 of 2024 AGE; 47 YEARS R/O: KINNAR TQ: KARWAR- DIST: UTTARA KANNADA MEMBERSHIP NO. SL.NO. 33. PRADEEPA SAIROBA KOTHARKAR AGE; 49 YEARS R/O: KINNAR TQ: KARWAR- DIST: UTTARA KANNADA MEMBERSHIP NO. SL.NO. 34. GOURISH SHRIKANT KOTHARKAR AGE; 52 YEARS R/O: KINNAR TQ: KARWAR- DIST: UTTARA KANNADA MEMBERSHIP NO. SL.NO. 35. RAHUL PRAKASH KOTHARKAR AGE; 63 YEARS R/O: KINNAR TQ: KARWAR- DIST: UTTARA KANNADA MEMBERSHIP NO. SL.NO. 36. SHYAM SHANTARAM KOTHARKAR AGE; 60 YEARS R/O: KINNAR TQ: KARWAR- DIST: UTTARA KANNADA MEMBERSHIP NO. SL.NO. 37. VIKAS NAGESH TEWAR AGE; 34 YEARS R/O: KINNAR TQ: KARWAR- DIST: UTTARA KANNADA - 8 - NC: 2025:KHC-D:906 WP No. 107867 of 2024 MEMBERSHIP NO. SL.NO. 38. AMBARISH D. KOTHARKAR AGE; 63 YEARS R/O: KINNAR TQ: KARWAR- DIST: UTTARA KANNADA MEMBERSHIP NO. SL.NO. 39. MOHAN RAM CHINCHANKAR AGE; 36 YEARS R/O: KINNAR TQ: KARWAR- DIST: UTTARA KANNADA MEMBERSHIP NO. SL.NO. 40. SUNIL ANANT PEDNEKAR AGE; 45 YEARS R/O: KINNAR TQ: KARWAR- DIST: UTTARA KANNADA MEMBERSHIP NO. SL.NO. 41. RAJA UMAKANT KOTHARKAR AGE; 46 YEARS R/O: KINNAR TQ: KARWAR- DIST: UTTARA KANNADA MEMBERSHIP NO. SL.NO. 42. DINESH ANANT GUNAGI AGE; 59 YEARS R/O: KINNAR TQ: KARWAR- DIST: UTTARA KANNADA MEMBERSHIP NO. SL.NO. - 9 - NC: 2025:KHC-D:906 WP No. 107867 of 2024 43. DURGA ANANT GUNAGI AGE; 60 YEARS R/O: KINNAR TQ: KARWAR- DIST: UTTARA KANNADA MEMBERSHIP NO. SL.NO. 44. SUBHASH ANANDU GUNAGI AGE; 36 YEARS R/O: KINNAR TQ: KARWAR- DIST: UTTARA KANNADA MEMBERSHIP NO. SL.NO. 45. GURU YADOBA GUNAGI AGE; 55 YEARS R/O: KINNAR TQ: KARWAR- DIST: UTTARA KANNADA MEMBERSHIP NO. SL.NO. 46. NANDA NAGESH GUNAGI AGE; 58 YEARS R/O: KINNAR TQ: KARWAR- DIST: UTTARA KANNADA MEMBERSHIP NO. SL.NO. 47. KRISHNA NAGESH GUNAGI AGE;26 YEARS R/O: KINNAR TQ: KARWAR- DIST: UTTARA KANNADA MEMBERSHIP NO. SL.NO. 48. SHRINIVAS ANANDU GUNAGI AGE; 63 YEARS R/O: KINNAR TQ: KARWAR- - 10 - NC: 2025:KHC-D:906 WP No. 107867 of 2024 DIST: UTTARA KANNADA MEMBERSHIP NO. SL.NO. 49. SUDHIR SUDHAKAR GUNAGI AGE; 34 YEARS R/O: KINNAR TQ: KARWAR- DIST: UTTARA KANNADA MEMBERSHIP NO. SL.NO. 50. RESHMA SUDHAKAR GUNAGI AGE; 32 YEARS R/O: KINNAR TQ: KARWAR- DIST: UTTARA KANNADA MEMBERSHIP NO. SL.NO. 51.AMUL RAMAKRISHNA GUNAGI AGE; 34 YEARS R/O: KINNAR TQ: KARWAR- DIST: UTTARA KANNADA MEMBERSHIP NO. SL.NO. 52. MANOHAR SUDHAKAR GUNAGI AGE; 34 YEARS R/O: KINNAR TQ: KARWAR- DIST: UTTARA KANNADA MEMBERSHIP NO. SL.NO. 53. GOURISH SANTOSH GUNAGI AGE; 56 YEARS R/O: KINNAR TQ: KARWAR- DIST: UTTARA KANNADA MEMBERSHIP NO. SL.NO. - 11 - NC: 2025:KHC-D:906 WP No. 107867 of 2024 54. NILESH RAJA GUNAGI AGE; 64 YEARS R/O: KINNAR TQ: KARWAR- DIST: UTTARA KANNADA MEMBERSHIP NO. SL.NO. 55. SUDHAKAR NILAKANT GUNAGI AGE; 34 YEARS R/O: KINNAR TQ: KARWAR- DIST: UTTARA KANNADA MEMBERSHIP NO. SL.NO. 56. VAMAN TIMMA GUNAGI AGE; 44 YEARS R/O: KINNAR TQ: KARWAR- DIST: UTTARA KANNADA MEMBERSHIP NO. SL.NO. 57. GAJANAN MOHAN GUNAGI AGE; 54 YEARS R/O: KINNAR TQ: KARWAR- DIST: UTTARA KANNADA MEMBERSHIP NO. SL.NO. 58. RAJENDRA SAIROBA KOTHARKAR AGE; 46 YEARS R/O: KINNAR TQ: KARWAR- DIST: UTTARA KANNADA MEMBERSHIP NO. SL.NO. 59. NAGARAJ PURSU HULASWAR AGE; 47 YEARS - 12 - NC: 2025:KHC-D:906 WP No. 107867 of 2024 R/O: KINNAR TQ: KARWAR- DIST: UTTARA KANNADA MEMBERSHIP NO. SL.NO. 60. MAHESH N. JOSHI AGE; 48 YEARS R/O: KINNAR TQ: KARWAR- DIST: UTTARA KANNADA MEMBERSHIP NO. SL.NO. 61. SARVESH UDAY KOTHARKAR AGE; 46 YEARS R/O: KINNAR TQ: KARWAR- DIST: UTTARA KANNADA MEMBERSHIP NO. SL.NO. 62. SUDESH RAMESH KOTHARKAR AGE; 35 YEARS R/O: KINNAR TQ: KARWAR- DIST: UTTARA KANNADA MEMBERSHIP NO. SL.NO. 63. AJAY I. GOVEKAR AGE; 47 YEARS R/O: KINNAR TQ: KARWAR- DIST: UTTARA KANNADA MEMBERSHIP NO. SL.NO. 64. JEEVAN GANGADHAR TALEKAR AGE; 49 YEARS R/O: KINNAR TQ: KARWAR- DIST: UTTARA KANNADA MEMBERSHIP NO. - 13 - NC: 2025:KHC-D:906 WP No. 107867 of 2024 65. GOPALKRISHNA SHANKAR JOSHI AGE; 50 YEARS R/O: KINNAR TQ: KARWAR- DIST: UTTARA KANNADA MEMBERSHIP NO. SL.NO. …PETITIONERS (BY SMT. DEEPA R. UDIYAR, ADVOCATE) AND: 1. THE STATE OF KARNATAKA DEPT OF CO-OPERATIVE SOCIETIES M.S.BUILDING, BENGALURU-560 001 REPRESENTED BY ITS SECRETARY. 2. THE DEPUTY REGISTRAR OF CO-OPERATIVE SOCIETIES, AND ELECTION OFFICER, DEPARTMENT OF CO-OPERATIVE SOCIETIES, KARWAR, UTTARA KANNADA-581301 3. THE ELECTION AUTHORITY, BY ITS COMMISSIONER, 3RD FLOOR A-BLOCK, TTMC BUILDING SHANTI NAGAR, BENGALURU-560002 . 4. THE CO-OPERATIVE DEVELOPMENT OFFICER, KARWAR TALUK, DISTRICT : UTTARA KANNADA 5. THE RETURNING OFFICER PRATHAMIKA GRAMEENA KRISHI SAHAKARI SANGHA NIYAMITA, KINNAR, KARWAR TALUK, DISTRICT : UTTARA KANNADA. - 14 - NC: 2025:KHC-D:906 WP No. 107867 of 2024 6. PRATHAMIKA GRAMEENA KRISHI SAHAKARI SANGHA NIYAMITA, KINNAR, KARWAR TALUK BY ITS CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER. …RESPONDENTS (BY SMT. KIRTHILATA R.PATIL, HCGP FOR R1 & R2; SRI. B. V. BHARAMGOUDAR, ADVOCATE FOR R3 TO R5; SRI. S.B. PATIL, ADVOCATE FOR R6) THIS WRIT PETITION IS FILED UNDER ARTICLES 226 & 227 OF THE CONSTITUTION OF INDIA, PRAYING TO ISSUE WRIT OF CERTIORARI TO QUASH THE IN ELIGIBLE VOTERS LIST SAID TO HAVE BEEN PREPARED BY THE SIXTH RESPONDENT SOCIETY DATED 19.12.2024 AND DULY APPROVED BY THE FOURTH AND SECOND RESPONDENT ON AS THE PET TRONEN WHICH HAS BEEN PRODUCED HEREWITH AND 19.12.2024, IN SO FOR AS THE PETITIONER ARE CONCERNED THE COPY OF WHICH HAS BEEN PRODUCED AS ANNEXURE B AND ALSO TO QUASH THE NOTIFICATION IN FORM NO XII, ISSUED BY THE FIFTH RESPONDENT DATED 15.12.2024, THE COPY OF WHICH HAS BEEN PRODUCED HEREWITH AT ANNEXURE A AND ETC., THIS WRIT PETITION, COMING ON FOR PRELIMINARY HEARING, THIS DAY, ORDER WAS MADE THEREIN AS UNDER: - 15 - NC: 2025:KHC-D:906 WP No. 107867 of 2024 ORAL ORDER (PER: THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE M.NAGAPRASANNA) 1. Learned counsel appearing for the parties in unison would submit that, the issue in the lis stands covered by judgment rendered by Coordinate Bench of this Court in W.P. No.8502/2022 C/w. W.P. No.8477/2022, disposed off on 7th June 2022. The Coordinate Bench of this Court held as follows: “8. In the light of these rival submissions, the question for consideration is: Whether these writ petitions must be disposed of directing the Returning Officer [the fourth respondent and sixth respondents in the respective petitions to announce the results of the elections held on 23.04.2022 including the votes cast by the petitioners. 9. The provisions of Rule 13-D (2-A) of the Rules read as hereunder: (3) The Election Officer shall take steps for publication of voters list in the following manner, namely:- (a) for publication of draft eligible electoral list, a list of defaulters, a list of members whose repayment falls due, before the election - 16 - NC: 2025:KHC-D:906 WP No. 107867 of 2024 date clear fifty days; (b) for calling objections, if any, calling upon the defaulter members to repay the amounts due to the co-operative societies on or before thirty clear days prior to the date of election; (c) the scrutiny and verification of the voters list after payment by defaulters etc., clear twenty days before the ate of election. (d) for publication of final eligible voters list before fifteen clear days prior to the date of election. The underlining is by this Court. 10. These provisions do not leave any room for doubt that an excluded member, with the publication of the Draft Eligible Electoral List, must have an opportunity by way of an individual notice to file objections on exclusion from the Electoral List. It must be shown that the concerned Chief Executive has prepared and sent notice to the affected members. The Public Notice dated 8.11.20211 does not meet these requirements. In 1 This Public Notice reads as follows: ¸ÀAWÀzÀ ¨ÉʯÁ wzÀÄÝ¥Àr DzÉñÀ ¸ÀASÉå: r Dgï ªÉÊ: Dgï.J¸ï.Dgï.JA.J.©.¹.Dgï- 16/2018- 19 ¢£ÁAPÀ 16.11.2018 gÀAvÉ ¸ÀºÀPÁgÀ ¸ÀAWÀUÀ¼À G¥À¤§AzsÀPÀgÀÄ, ªÀÄAqÀå f¯Éè, ªÀÄAqÀågÀªÀgÀÄ - 17 - NC: 2025:KHC-D:906 WP No. 107867 of 2024 fact, it is admitted on behalf of the respondents that there are deficiencies in the preparation of the Final Electoral Roll after the publication of the Draft Eligible Electoral List, and the petitioners have not been issued with individual notices. 11. The Hon’ble Supreme Court in Shri Sant Sadguru Janardan Swami (Moingiri Maharaj) Sahakari Dugha Utpadak Sanstha and Another v. State of Maharashtra and Others supra has held as follows: ‘7. A perusal of the Rules discloses that the preparation of provisional list of voters, filing of objection against the provisional list of voters, consideration of the objection by the Collector and finalising the list of voters, all occur in the Rules ¨ÉʯÁ wzÀÄݪÀrAiÀÄ£ÀÄß D£ÀĪÉÆâ¹ £ÉÆAzÁ¬Ä¹gÀÄvÁÛgÉ. CzÀgÀAvÉ '©' vÀgÀUÀw gÉÊvÀ ¸ÀzÀ¸ÀågÀ µÉÃj£À ªÀÄÄR¨É¯É gÀÆ.1000.00 UÀ¼ÀÄ ªÀÄvÀÄÛ µÉÃgÀÄ ±ÀÄ®ÌzÀ ¨Á§Ä gÀÆ.100.00 UÀ¼ÀÄ DVgÀÄvÀÛzÉ. ªÀiÁ£Àå '©' vÀgÀUÀw ¸ÀzÀ¸ÀågÁzÀ vÀªÀÄä µÉÃgÀÄ ªÉƧ®UÀÄ gÀÆ.500.00UÀ¼ÀÄ EzÀÄÝ ¨ÁQ µÉÃgÀÄ ªÉƧ®UÀÄ gÀÆ.500.00UÀ¼ÀÄ PÀrªÉÄ EgÀÄvÀÛzÉ. EzÀgÀ eÉÆvÉUÉ ¨ÁQ EgÀĪÀ µÉÃgÀÄ ±ÀÄ®Ì gÀÆ.90.00UÀ¼ÀÄ ¸ÉÃj MlÄÖ gÀÆ590,00UÀ¼À£ÀÄß ¥ÁªÀw¸À®Ä ºÁUÀÆ ªÀiÁ£Àå '©' vÀgÀUÀw PÉ®ªÀÅ ¸ÀzÀ¸ÀågÀ µÉÃgÀÄ ªÉƧ®UÀÄ gÀÆ.100.00UÀ¼ÀÄ EzÀÄÝ. ¨ÁQ µÉÃgÀÄ ªÉƧ®UÀÄ gÀÆ900.00UÀ¼ÀÄ PÀrªÉÄ EgÀÄvÀÛzÉ. EzÀgÀ eÉÆvÉUÉ ¨ÁQ EgÀĪÀ µÉÃgÀÄ ¸ÀÄ®Ì gÀÆ 100.00UÀ¼ÀÄ ¸ÉÃj MlÄÖ gÀÆ 1000.00UÀ¼À£ÀÄß ¢£ÁAPÀ:11.12.2021 gÉƼÀUÉ ¸ÀAWÀPÉÌ ¥ÁªÀw¸ÀĪÀAvÉ F ªÀÄÆ®PÀ vÀªÀÄUÉ w½¹zÉ. ªÀÄÄAzÀĪÀjzÀÄ EzÀ®èzÉ PÀ£ÁðlPÀ ¸ÀºÀPÁgÀ ¸ÀAWÀUÀ¼À C¢ü¤AiÀÄ£ÀÄ 1959gÀ ¥ÀæPÀgÀt 20(2) (J4) ºÁUÀÆ (J5)gÀrAiÀÄ°è£À CªÀPÁ±ÀUÀ¼ÀAvÉAiÀÄÆ CºÀðvÉAiÀÄÆ ºÉÆA¢gÀ¨ÉÃPÁVgÀÄvÀÛzÉ. vÀ¦àzÀ°è ªÀÄÄAzÉ d£ÀªÀj 2022gÀ ªÀiÁºÉAiÀÄ°è £ÀqÉAiÀÄ°gÀĪÀ DqÀ½vÀ ªÀÄAqÀ° ZÀÄ£ÁªÀuÉAiÀÄ°è ªÀÄvÀ ZÀ¯Á¬Ä¸À®Ä ºÁUÀÆ ¸Àà¢üð¸À®Ä CªÀPÁ±À«gÀĪÀÅ¢®è JA§ «µÀAiÀĪÀ£ÀÄß F ªÀÄÆ®PÀ vÀªÀÄUÉ w½¸À¯ÁVzÉ. - 18 - NC: 2025:KHC-D:906 WP No. 107867 of 2024 which cover the entire process of the election. The Rules framed for election of specified societies are complete code in itself providing for the entire process of election beginning from the stage of preparation of the provisional voters list, decision on the objection by the Collector, finalisation of electoral rolls, holding of election and declaration of result of the election. In view of the scheme of the Act and Rules, the preparation of voters' list must be held to be part of the election process for constituting managing committee of a specified society. 12. In view of our finding that preparation of the electoral roll is being an intermediate stage in the process of election of the managing committee of a specified society and the election process having been set in motion, it is well settled that the High Court should not stay the continuation of the election process even though there may be some alleged illegality or breach of rules while preparing the electoral roll. It is not disputed that the election in question has already been held and the result thereof has been stayed by an order of this Court, and once the result of the election is declared, it would be open to the appellant to challenge the election of returned candidate, if aggrieved, by means of an election petition before the election tribunal. - 19 - NC: 2025:KHC-D:906 WP No. 107867 of 2024 12. It follows from this decision that the adjudication of all questions must be as provided under Section 70(2) of the Co-operative Societies Act2. However, in the present case the respondents admit that there are deficiencies in finalization of Final Electoral List. The petitioners are admittedly not issued with individual notice as required under the provisions of Rule13-D (2-A) of the Co-operative Societies Rules; the petitioners have now cast their votes in the elections on 23.04.2022; the petitioners are not given the opportunity to show cause against the allegations that they have created documents. The respondents, despite admitting deficiencies in finalisation of the Final Electoral List, want to invoke the rule of alternative remedy. This Court is 2 70. Disputes which may be referred to Registrar for decision.- (1) Notwithstanding anything contained in any law for the time being in force, if any dispute touching the constitution, management, or the business of a co-operative society arises,— (a) xxxxxxxxx (2). For the purposes of sub-section (1), the following shall be deemed to be disputes touching the constitution, management or the business of a co-operative society, namely:— (a). XXXXXXXXXXX (b). XXXXXXXXXXXXX (c). any dispute arising in connection with the election of a President, Vice- president, Chairman, Vice-chairman, Secretary, Treasurer or Member of Committee of the society. - 20 - NC: 2025:KHC-D:906 WP No. 107867 of 2024 of the considered view that, in the peculiarities of this case, the writ petitions should be disposed of with directions to the concerned respondent to announce results counting even the votes cast by the petitioners and with liberty to all the concerned to avail remedy under Section 70(2) of the Act if aggrieved by the results. If such remedy is availed raising a dispute, exclusion of votes of those petitioners who are guilty of fraud can also be considered based on the material that will be placed on record. Therefore, writ petitions are disposed of calling upon the Returning Officer [the fourth respondent/sixth respondent in the respective petitions] to announce the result forthwith including the votes cast by the petitioners in both the petitions. All the contentions are left open for consideration in appropriate proceedings, if commenced.” 2. Learned counsel would submit that, if the same order is passed, it would suffice in this case also. 3. In that light, the writ petition is disposed calling upon the respondent – Returning Officer to announce the result forthwith including the votes cast by the petitioners. - 21 - NC: 2025:KHC-D:906 WP No. 107867 of 2024 All the contentions are left open for consideration in appropriate proceedings, if commenced. Sd/- (M.NAGAPRASANNA) JUDGE VNP/CT-ASC List No.: 3 Sl No.: 7