:.E<RI'HE':aMJC^^^tJSffi@KsM®]^l»^^^ WRIT^TITI<^NO.,':^;<fiI^:'l''!:/2i|^ PETmQNER lD<lulal^shad,S7»INeSM ; ®s,^^^ ;&.R.Ni^il^aged;5^|y^rss^€ic^p|&oi^ ; I^esid6nfebf^Mratti^sgai4is?State;5©^a.;!®% ,op^tivslEslisE^<}8TaSon^Et<l.,j&ajfti.:i||[ ^alat>^ipur((^)|i^p^aUa|Ig|®fiiat Road,|VtU^e-Kaipma,?Riipuii'(C<.i3-.)^S^^ j5^^';s® :5S^'^SM •SSV9 --VERSUS- RESBONDEN'ES ^i^' :.';./%';;:::; .•^f;/:::^ ^^' s*%/<%Sfr^' '^511':;"1 ^•^'I''''." •'.-y'^'''11:'..''^:- 1. ^^tate^ofehhatttsgaifat^ :^,cp1.'?', ;':: :,?:SeCTetars,^epa|tm^nti»i$^I;^j.^^ ^'::*.l;.:',,.;,^f.^gricultiiifr^(^ci|ipet^ .^:''^3^ntFataya,l0;%^®liavau,^:;.^ ^;.RaiF ^.^)S!':::f.;..^^:, ,;)••,^ Z? , Re^s!ttar,^eo-opCTat e,S^je^ State ofE©lfflattisigaili,Saipur% •:<(^.)i:.^^;::::,^ 3. M anajgjag Birector^Clbiliattiggafh :'State;®:6-(»F®i'aiti'ge;Irisb^^;:?ll|;;^^ ^';^.<,^ ;.;F^erati|o^ttd^Ra}at'I'alal),gg^.?| ;,^aiput^Q,^?%'s,:';.,.i^ 4;:;.::''sQiB®8r-ia-i31i^^,;:©lffiattlsgai^ •.•;'.'S<^^{EQjoipr||i|^lK^j;^:|]^ff^ ^^SiEleTaj|Bii3lit<li|R| ;®ajpi ::(©.<T^S|&:^\ i^^^^^®l^l£;^Sy:^^;^;^%^®;^^^^^ • 's^w' •f,-«efs! '' ^:^;^ •sWS^ VS Billl: ^N HI^aEOUl OFm/DICA^RgA^BItJ<®pyR(C WritP«titien^No.il5of2004 IridulBlRlishad S/pl-a1%3.R.NisKo^,'iresd58Years' OGCupafiofi-Ri^iyenfof;ChKiiM-isgarh3*a^; Co-operaTive^ Fish Fe^eM^on L^., Raja^ab, Rajpyr (Chhdttisgdrh) R/oiWdliic^v^oifRciad,W Versns State o'f Clihettti^arh and others ISi'S5:'^ sia tlfil SiffiS POSTF^€^C>ERON.^^FEBWARy,2004 Sd/- L.C.Bhadpo " Judge te-li •:!^;a^-,::' ^'^.". '^ "'':. - '^. '":~"^^ ...',-'"" n.L;';'^..8.." .-, :I^LS= :.<-^^'^:1^'^; :"''~^-^:^ .^Sf^W M K' HI6HGOURT^OFjy6lCA^RB^^^I.ASPUR(CMNAiTTIS6ARW, Wr-it Pefltion No.115 of 2004 ".In3ulalfNishacl'^ ' i: ::'': .' •":-:" S/o l-at&B.^I<iiishad^<aged^58ysars, QMup<rt'ion^r^j<tentofl<^hart1is^rh State . Co-operal-ivte'Fish Feyei^ic^ Ltci.yRfflja^ldB, l^ (Chhattisgdrh) R/bMahaeiev fihjafr^Kaael, Villcge Raipur-a, Rdiipyr (C.6.). Veraus . . , ' i.' : ; .::. State of CKha-l-tisgarhtaid'others :ffresent;:-,..' : :- . :' , ,'" : ; •: • .••'/':•'- M!". Viyek Tankha, S". Adyoccfte with Shri Rajeev Shriwstwc, Advocate for •ril&peTiTioner;,,' •. ! ' '••: " ':''- ; 1 Mr.P.S. Koshy, 6ovt. Advocate for the iStdte/respondents. '.:0^^&^:.'...i .^ ''• ,::.:..„,.,,.• (Passed on^^^February, 2004) As oer L.C. Bhadoo «L By thiS writ petitioR filed unclst' Artic!es226/227 of^tke Constittitioh of India tiie petjtioner who wds^^ ^ Go-operative Fish Fectenrtion (liereii^ter referted^ t^ hcfi questioned the oi^er dfftBd 23-12-20C?3 (Annexu ^/5) on^^^f^ jtiiart the impugred order isarBitTary, iliegal ci^ san^ being without juri^iction willi ^mclfffi^^ exercise qf power whereby tlie ^RegjS't'ror Co-operdtive Sociieties uncler sub-sectiori 13 of Section 53 of •f £^crtfisga ^£^ 1960 n^por^'moSifKa^^-^^^''^"^^^'^''^^ Shri N.1-. Tianciori, t>epu^^f^IRegjsT^r,:,'^:Co-<^?er^^ ::uffie®r-iri-chdr^in. p1a<^icf^th^"B|ir||||R!!|mecfor;s.i^ m ;:M?; WP^ i2. Brief :fcicts aiving rise tb ^fjljhg" of^^ this ^petition^^^^^ tt^ ^reorganization of the State of Waelhya Rradesh, ffi new State of Glihaftl-isSaPJ'l^ 3was car-ved out of +he State of <Aadhya?Pradesh and the new St(rfetaal'neliiBi|o| SxisTenceon 1st November 2000. As a;consequence of tiiat the eXjstingsgjsh 'Fader^ion^of the State of Madhya Pradesh^^w^ orovision&? of Chhcrt-tisaarh Sahkam Society^ Q^h^^ Adhyadesh; 2000. The FiA Federation^came into exis'henee^on 30?^ Qctaber 2000 and the Cominissioner, (^wper^ve! and l^istrar, C^^ (Mcdhya PrcKlesh) issued regjsTratiOn^ certificalie under tKe provisro^ &ction9(t) of the Act, 1960, as per Annexure-P/1. 3. The Fish Fecferationwos con^itylied With an objectof Pisces culture; fish reaFihg, nwrketing of fish cncl •overall ^yelopmerrtOf fisher®s.^^^^A the Ckuse-l of byetaw 30 of the i^istered ByeteuAre of ttie Fish;F^der^ dfter registration, first Bodrd of;(lSil^tpra of Fish Feclei^ion wasi^ nominatsd by the Regisfrar for ths^riod of:t^ yecr or ^BI the electton and the appoihtmenT was i^sTrictedFamongi-t+iiK persons who are either Pliesideiit or representative cf the membep of^Society of PA^ registered byelows are^ Annexup^P/2. As per 1h beforenomincrtion of tHe Boar^ <^ Birectors, the{Registrdi':wds^r^ appoirrf class^ officer as officer-in^arge f<w Board of Directors. Therefoper under tfeeienctbling powers^under sub-section 13 of Section 53 of the Act, 1960^on<Jj?i der claus^l of byehw 30^^o Byelaws of the Fish Feclepationvi<le^rder<teted 9^2003, th&Registpai'.^o- operative Spciefies nommated 8oapd/^;^rectors;in^^ nomiriated as Presideht of •1+ie Board 6f ^&ir'ector's^o'f 'the Fish Fsdei'ation as per Annexure-P/3. As a eonsequeOT<»oyi+iafthe Board of Directors started functioning in the month bf Au^st, 2003 i^ the meetiri9 of the^B^ Dirsctors wgs^held OR 24^ Noyember S0b3? in took some decisions To cffihiev®'tlw objecf of^ ^e- by^B^ Feyei^ion. Copyof 1+ie minutesof'l^ ^ ]|i!|i|BW°a •^•~-S^WKsWlEi!SS3SS:' ili'iiBI1,! Silitil • Sth? ^?^i':^ll^'[.'.^'^'j;;'i< 11 IIJiTBS^ I'ii 4. As^+ieiBoard of birectors was constifirted by;-the;Registrar yncleRtfiK orcler dcited^9-^-2003 fop a period iof one Yedr of till •the electtons^of •[•he Bogrd of DiFectoi's •are held, but the Registpar, Co-opepatiye Sotsieties victe' . impugne^cordel^mencled theorcter d^ Anriexure-P/5 datied ^23% teosmberl 2003 and appoirrtBd^^^^rt ^lTai^foythe'RshKderationby^re R^ti*ionet'Is petitipn js^-Hiat once the Registrar exercised the povwr undec sub-sectioh 13 of SeCtion 53 of the Act 1960, he was not empbwei'ec) to supersede.that order Till one year or theelections of the Bocirdoff Oinectors ws ^coriducfed,itlierefore, the petitionsr has prayed fsr setting asicie the 'ofaer.clttted 23-12-2cffi3. -5. Re'turn has^feeen filetf on behalfof respondents in which the above fcrcltMl'piBsitipn^asnotbeendisputedbutithdsbeenmentior^ order of ^e Registrar is xippeakible under Section 77 pf^the Co-bperotive Societies Acf and as per Annexu's-R/1 notification isSued by the S'hrt-e ^oVemmerir dated 5-9-2003 the ap|:ieal js |ie before theStcrte fiovemment. The seeond grti|ind^1^^Biaen^taken that the petrt^^ of the petitioneris not maijrtalnaBle <n thg ^^und ^ B^ci§>me^the Ppesi<ten1-'M^^ Federotion on the ground^ •tiiat he was not ''eS^^^^i.'bi^i^^snBrRber'..of^:^bs primary societ/, which is mcndctory i^ujr^e^^(fchoidingthepostinthe^<tero^ and ttie nomination of the piKt-itioner is fnow ,in';-dispute in a writ petition pending''before this 'Court'. Moreover-," •theispetitioner isa practicing bwyer dnd enrblled ynder the Chh<rttisgarh 'State Bdr Council. ftiipur'a, he. isnot a fisherman therefore, he was not eligibls to become^e Presidenf. 6. It has furl+isr'fesen mentionead thal'undersub-sectiorilSof Ssction 53 ; tf^ .ithie i.Aca',^ 1.96®•fh&Registrar is eompetent to pass oiriy order forreinomna ^tKe;.Boal"3 of fiil'^ctore and in Jts^^l^^ ^:<ubn«*ted'that^etrttllegatio!^ma^e^by:^ f;||j\wtous::.wherensi^on::^ttie ,tbrrtriM'yl;.Ther^J'v W;lcomplain1s^ ^'t^;'?H '».';->g»="i5-=snr' % petitioner for non-pCTformcnce and alsd performingtcgaihst thK;iriter^^^ the Society which had compelled respondent No.2 to pass the impugned orcler, therefore, the petition be dismissed. Respondents 3 and 4 in their retum hweadoptedthereplyfiledtiy respondents 1 and 2. 7. I Have heard the learned counsel for ithe parties. 8. It is notdisputed that the Board of Directors was constltuted by respondent No.2, the Registrar under sub-section 13 of Section 53 of the Act 1960 vide Annexure-P/3 and the tenure inthis order has been mentioned as one yedr or till the elections are conducted o^ the petitionep wds ^po^^ as the Presictent along with others 4 private memBeps ahd four & nominees by virtue df -riie post-they wer& holding in tiTeMational Go-operative Development Corporation or nominee of the Chhattisgarh State Co-pperdtive Bank ond the Senerai Atenager- of The Fish Federoction and the Registrar, Co- operative Societie^orhis nomineeriotbalowtherankof^beputyRegistrdr. 9. Now the questipn comes as to whether the Registrar wos entitled or authorized to superssde the ordet' dated 9-7-2003 by impugned order, even though it has been mentioned in the impugned oircleFthatttijs prder has been issiuecl in partial fflodification of •Hie e<»f!ier order clated 9-7-20Q3, byt in- fact, the bnguage emptoyed jn this prder shows that it is, in-fcu:t, in supersession of theeariier order, it is notq partial niodificatipn. The partiai modification is always any partial amendment made in ths orisinol <""dsr whereos by thjs impugned order the Board has been superseded and the Cteputy ItegistraT, Co-operative Society .has been appointed as pft charge of the Fish Bosrd, The releyant sub-section 13 of Section 53 of •the Act, 1960 reads thus:- "Notwithstanding anything con-tained in this Act, or rules mcKJe •1+iereunder 1 or byelaws of spciety, if the committee of society <»a^sto function due to.ondsr of any Cc^ ftegistrar may appoint a personj oi- epinniil-tee o^ ^pei'sdns !!33:: i :^% iws t'^'^'S^S^^ ..d '1%n^i^ily>till^theiCourt'Wclfer:|is^vdca't^ ai^heldiand thecdmfflifte^liakescharge. ^^^^^^^^^^% - A'bare.peruSal (rf.-rtiis;pir(^isi6ri^shpws;thcrt'in the conclition^ were exi^ng before l^e f^Jstrar tq jssue t^ order under the above provision.riejttier l+'ere was a CourT orSer fWp^Re' cofflmittee of the Society ceosed •hs' function onoccount of a^ or^ei'. '' wt was very iriuch in existence. Therefdre, thete was no^occdsiori be'f'8i'& •the Registnirto issuethe impugned order. 10. It is true that when poweris given to ,ar^ particular authpri]ty under any proviaion of law for dppointing any committ^^^ t^ authqTity^wntl'iin its right to modify or sypersede that order even if thers given in the same provision as per -riTe prtiyjsions of^;^ Seneral Clauses Act, but that cuthon-fy can pass such anorder for the good reasons^which forcedsthe oythonty;1^^piKS cutoi^r super^ order. In this case, the i^spohd^fsjt^and^in -^ thers wer®comptaihis again^^^^t^ perrformance nr |»rforming a^nst^ t^ com|^Hed respondeht N<^2*o;?issueSt}wsifflpu3lfed'ot^r.i^ in the impugned orcler no rettsorf^lias Be^ irnpugned oi^r nor there isarry!tnentjcin/i ^is;-oi^ any wch compfaints were pendin3slMfpl^7H^^ w»reeriquir^ into by the tegistmr orSB^'yffic^ giving show couse notice -to the Direc^rs and crfter concluc^ing suc^ ^ .enquiry the f^istrar reached ^e defimte conclusion that^ compkiints agdinst 1+ie Board of iwn'^uncTionJng or functioning dgainsr the interosfof the Society. So mer®lyn»nti^rigintheretum, any rea^n or witKout any ^qui^<MlripU Directopsof f^h^F^cleiwtionahd^ttie^^ Sinca no power was ve^jng^with^the^gistrar^und^^^^ 53 of -ttie Acf, 1960 to Su^pS^tl+i^or^r datecl.9-K2003?^ S^iBB sv'ssss ife't^MKS •{"?rt^:2^T^:—.! ^^^^^g^Ei^^^'^^^^^^, iie[;^S^&^ B'ii" ,r' enquiry was condycted by the ftegistt^ regarding npn-fu^ prejudicifllly to the aims iwd objects of the Society by tt'ie BQaffd^g|f| t5inectoi^, theijmpugned prdep passed^by 1+ie ttegistrar is co!ntFaf7 to thesetrled principles of ncrrural justice and contrary; to jl-tie o^bj^t arKl spirit of^ths Co-o|^r^iyeISocietias Act^^c^ objects of thetbYelaws of the Fish F:ecleratipn. 12. Now,cominig tothequestion raised by ShpiP.S. Koshy,6ovf.Advocate that the petitioner was not eligible to become the President as he was not eligibte to become member of ihe Prjmaiy S^ he iiinas not eligible to hpld the posf of the PreSidentof the Apex Body, as the petitioner is not a fishermcn, in fact, he"is,ttprt]^jcingcavpcate<^ He further submitted thort COT <tction;l^ be^ m tp that effsct agajnst the petitioner, therefore, thepetition is tiableto bedismissed. 13. To my mind, it is an admitl^-fact^t^ member of the primary fishernK) Socie1y and unless md^Lmtil he^te or declared ineligibte to becon^ the primary member^ o^ •tiie!'fisherman society, 1+iat too after holding ^ petitioneir so long he is a mefflber oflhe fishermansocieiy. he isalso entitled to becoms ths rriember of the Apex Body of the Fiah Fiederation. As the priwary memberAip might have been challeng^ iri this writ pe^ but unless, as has been mentioned above, his prinwry membership is cancelled connot be removed from the post of the Presideht of the Apex Bocly on'that ground,: ' ; '. . ' ; : '' .'• -::'':: 14. Lecmed cour'sel for respondents ^p. P.S. !^hy further submi'M^ •the petitioner hod COT eqyalty c^icdcious <n1dah®rnffri^ oppeal beforel the 5tate &vemment^03'per the proviaionaof Se^ the Chhattisgarh Cooperotive Sociel-ies Ad", t960. j ':].::: :''::'' ~~1'' :15. , On' the: other'.h<Md,'14fce^1|aiTiedfeSenior;Ayyocat^ suBmiftecl that 'the di^r.'p^S^^By^1^;;autiiori1y^s?wi-H^fcjuriSiE(^ ;.,) Kisa i ''nsB ^ntrar^ to^ 1-he settled principles'oT l<^,theref^ his rights to cpproach 1n ^is Court ynder tfie^^^^ prilwipte'of olfernative pemedy carmot be pr®ssedinto ^ ciFcumsttjinces. l-ettmed Sehtor Cdunsel^^^w^ Hon'bls'Apex Court repbrt^ in (1998) 8 Supreme Cou^ matterSf Whii^pool Coi^6i^ld yer^^Ri^isfr^ and others. The Hon'bl& Apex Gourt while cleaiirig with the que^ altematiye remedy held that;- 'The power to isaje prerogativ^.writs under Article226ofthe Cpnstitution js plenary in nature OK^ is npt timited by any^ o provision of the CohstHDtion. TTie High Court, hwing regard to the facts of the case, has o fliscretiori to eri'fertain or not to errtiertaiih a writpetition. Bu¥^High Court hafi impoSedjupon itself cer+ain reStTictionS firte of which is thd1"if^^^ ary efficacious ren^y js e^Nable, the Hsgh & nornmlly exercise ilsjyn^icTioin. ^ has been consisteffitly heU bY^the^.ipiraiiie Gourt not ly operate ois a bar in crt- le^ thr^ coiitm^c^^ petition has been fiied for the ^enfpi'eement of .gny of the Funcfahren^ Rights or wher^ there has been a vio^ principle of natural justice or where ^t+ie order or proceedings are. who!ly without jurisdiction or the vires of an Act is; .- challenged." • Ashosbee.n held above, in 1+iis mattei- while removin^duly constituted Board of tSireetdrs of the Fish Feder^bn by ^e imRugned^^<^ tegistrar, CQ-operxltjve Societies has vjolated t^ justice, as before. removing the Board of Dir'ectors no show dsiuse Fiotics was gjven to •1+ie Board of DiFectors nbr arty enquiry was;c6nducte<:l;n<»r;(myit^as6rt haS been fflssigniec! in the impugried oFcie^for superseding 1^eJ^sK|f:ig^gt^^ any •fce^petition|er|is also entitled^ move^^^ piji^dby^theil^gjstroriswjtnou't'^juF'isclictioh. ^^7^^^ iiti' .tiSliii iBUr've WSKBSN fiSiNBBia SS99SS '16, As has bsen (liiscussed above that once the pov^ exercised l|y§th^ ^Regisfnar under sub-section 13 of the Sectjon 53 of the Act, lS6p^uncler thoise provjsions the Registrar hod no jurisdiction tosupersede that|0i"'der'joi' r6move the fuil Board,as has been held in Theearlier partof l+tisorde^ the pcwer e^rcited by the Registrar uncter sub-sectibri 13 df Secliion^53?0f theActattheinitialstagewaSonaceountofthelteorganization^^^^ and that wds dn extraordiriary event. There wds no other power vies-ted in •ttie Registrar ond once the power was exercised by the RegistraR uncter exTraordinary situation under sub-section 13 pf Sectibn 53 of 1+ie Act on .accouiTtof reorgcnizdtion pf^s State arid uricfer Claus^l of^^b iByelj^s, the tegi^rar was notmithorized to ew^ci^ thatpp^ 17, Ewn the Hon'ble Apsx Court jn thematlsr of St<rte^^^^^ ttohammad Nooh reported in AVt 1958 SUPREME COURT 86 helct that:- "It is no doubt true ttiat 1+ie High Court may rtefuSe;(toexeri!S&t its jurisdiction under Ar+icle 226 o-f tiie CQniS'Htutjl?n|Qf India if^ the petitioner^did noii^o^il^ltern^^|'em|isli^^£ requiririg''1tie''liexbaustionz^:al^priativel^r^ :. writwill fae issued is a?role^polK;yS<^\^ The 1-ligh Court wHi readily issue a wrif of ceptioi^i n <i where there has been a deriial of ncturdl JustSce." In view of the gbove judgments of the Hon'ble Apex Court ttie objection raised by the letirned counsel for the S+ate "egQrding ;the alternative remedies is wi'rilout •force. 18. In the result/the writ petilion succeeds<md^e sanre is^^^ im[%igned orcler dated 23-12-2003 (^ne><ur^P/5)is^q^^ Looking to the fc^ts and circumstances, co^ is madie ea^.i£ .li!l ij^.L ,^^^^ ;J,^i. Sd/- LC.Bhadpo ~fc Judge ^il' M l:liaKwl8Mi a:i ffiSII