SC on Thursday confirms removal of Former Amul chairman Vipul Chaudhary of the Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation, but laid down a series of guidelines to ensure democratic functioning of all such bodies in future.Vipul Chaudhary was removed after the federation’s board passed a no-confidence motion against him. A bench comprising Justices Anil R Dave and Kurian Joseph dismissed Vipul Chaudhary appeal against the Gujarat High Court’s February 4 order, which endorsed his ouster from the cooperate body that sells the Amul brand of milk products.
Supreme court stressed on the need to read democratic principles into all statutes and rules governing the functioning of cooperative societies. Among other things, it ruled that no chairman could be voted out before two years at the helm. The court barred boards from moving any fresh no confidence motion within a year if they fail in the first attempt. In addition, the court said a no-confidence motion must have the support of more than 50% of board members. Vipul Chaudhary had claimed in his written submissions to the court that he was voted out of office within days of attending a meeting of Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi.
