WP(C)/21015/2024 of T. PRASAD RAO DORA Vs STATE OF ODISHA on 21 August 2026

ORDER

Order No. 21.08.2026

5.

1. This matter is taken up through hybrid mode.

2. W.P.(C) No.34903 of 2025 is in the nature of Public Interest Litigation assailing the letter dated 12th February, 2025 (Annexure-1 therein), issued by the Chief General Manager (G), the Odisha State Cooperative Bank Limited, Bhubaneswar (for brevity, ‘the Bank’), wherein, the Registrar, Cooperative Societies, Odisha (for brevity, ‘RCS’) has been declared to have assumed charges of the office of the Managing Director in-charge of the Bank with effect from 12th February, 2025, i.e., from the date of issuance of the said letter.

3. In W.P.(C) No.20300 of 2024, letter No.2786 dated 9th August, 2024 (Annexure-1 therein) issued by the Managing Director of the Bank is under challenge, wherein, the Petitioner has been disqualified to function as Member as well as President of the Committee of Management of the Bank.

4. In rest of Writ Petitions in the batch, order dated 31st July, 2024 is under challenge, wherein, the RCS in purported exercise of power under Section 32 (7) of the Odisha Cooperative Societies Act, 1962 (for brevity, ‘the Act’), suspended the Committee of Management of the Bank with immediate effect. Petitioners also claim for consequential relief in each of the Writ Petitions.

5. Since the issue(s) involved in the batch of Writ Petitions are intertwined, those were directed to be listed for analogous hearing vide order dated 27th January, 2026 passed in W.P.(C) No.34903 of 2025.

6. Learned counsel appearing for the parties unanimously submit and agree that interest of justice will be best served if the issues involved in the batch of Writ Petitions are adjudicated by the RCS giving opportunity of hearing to the parties and person(s) likely to be affected.

7. Keeping in view the submission made by learned counsel for the parties, this Court, without delving into the merit of the issues raised in the batch of Writ Petitions, directs that Registrar, Cooperative Societies, Odisha, Bhubaneswar shall hear and dispose of the applications intended to be filed by the Petitioners in the batch of Writ Petitions on merit giving the parties concerned adequate opportunity of hearing.

8. To facilitate Petitioners in the batch of Writ Petitions to move the RCS, this Court directs that in the event, Petitioners make individual application before the RCS within a period of two weeks hence, the same shall be considered and disposed of within a period of eight weeks therefrom providing opportunity of hearing to the parties concerned.

9. On agreement, it is further directed that interim order(s) passed in the aforesaid Writ Petitions shall continue till the first date of hearing of the application(s) to be filed within the time stipulated above by the Petitioner(s) in the aforesaid batch of Writ Petitions, by the RCS. They are at liberty to seek for continuation of the interim order(s), which shall be considered on its own merit without being influenced by the interim order(s) passed by this Court or continuance of the interim order till the date of first hearing. It is made clear that this Court, in order to facilitate the parties herein to move the RCS for redressal of their grievance, continue the interim order on agreement of learned counsel for the parties.

10. The Writ Petitions are disposed of accordingly.

Issue urgent certified copy of the order on proper application.

(Harish Tandon)

Chief Justice

(K.R. Mohapatra)

Judge

s.s.satapathy