The Cooperative Election Authority (CEA) convened a meeting with representatives of Multi-State Cooperative Societies of Railway Employees on 19 January 2026, with the objective of facilitating alignment of their bye-laws with the provisions of the Multi-State Cooperative Societies (Amendment) Act, 2023. The meeting was attended by representatives of 16 Multi-State Cooperative Societies of Railway Employees, with participation of over 40 office bearers, including Chairpersons and Chief Executives of the respective societies.

Addressing the gathering, Shri Devendra Kumar Singh, Chairperson, Cooperative Election Authority, outlined the mandate and role of the CEA, which was established following the amendments to the Multi-State Cooperative Societies Act in 2023. He highlighted that the Authority has been entrusted with the responsibility of preparation of electoral rolls and conduct of free, fair, and transparent elections in Multi-State Cooperative Societies. Shri Singh informed that CEA has successfully conducted 220 elections so far, while 70 elections are currently in progress across the country.

There are about 18 Multi-State Cooperative Societies of Railway Employees, collectively comprising approximately 8 to 10 lakh Railway employees as members. These societies are primarily engaged in accepting deposits and extending loans to their members at concessional rates. The volume of deposits and loans handled by these societies is estimated at around ₹10,000 crore. Out of these, four societies also hold banking licences.

Since its inception, the Cooperative Election Authority has already conducted elections for five Railway Employees’ Cooperative Societies viz. The Jackson Cooperative Credit Society of the Employees of Western Railway Limited, Mumbai, SE, SEC & E. Co. Railways Employees’ Cooperative Credit Society Limited, Kolkata, The N.E. & E.C. Railway Employees Multi-State Primary Cooperative Bank Limited, Gorakhpur, The Railway Shramik Sahakari Bank Limited, Bikaner, The Eastern Railway Employees Cooperative Bank, Kolkata

The meeting focused on facilitating alignment of society bye-laws with the amended MSCS Act, 2023, discussion on constitution of representative General Bodies and election of delegates, timely submission of proposals for conduct of elections—at least six months prior to completion of the tenure of the Board of the Society—and the maintenance of functional websites to enhance transparency.

To further strengthen the conduct of elections, the Cooperative Election Authority has undertaken several institutional measures, including preparation of Manuals for Returning Officers, guidelines for prior approval of Boards of Directors and Office Bearers, Handbook on preparation of voters’ lists, Model Code of Conduct, and guidelines on submission of election expenditure returns by candidates, among others. The Chairperson also shared insights and experiences from elections conducted by CEA in various Railway Employees’ Cooperative Societies.

Shri R.K. Gupta, Vice-Chairperson, Cooperative Election Authority, made a detailed presentation on the role of CEA, challenges faced in the conduct of elections, and the steps taken by the Authority to ensure free, fair, and transparent electoral processes.

Shri Anand Kumar Jha, Central Registrar of Cooperative Societies, and Ms. Monika Khanna, Member, Cooperative Election Authority, emphasized the urgent need for societies to amend their bye-laws in conformity with the amended MSCS Act, 2023, to enable timely and smooth conduct of elections.

Shri S.K. Roy, Deputy Director (Establishment), Ministry of Railways, also attended the meeting. Other senior officials present included Shri Mukesh Kumar, Economic Advisor, and Ms. Renu Shekhawat, Joint Director, from the Ministry of Cooperation.

The participants appreciated the proactive steps taken by the Cooperative Election Authority and suggested that such consultative interactions be held on a regular basis to further strengthen democratic governance in cooperative institutions.

****

AK

 

(Release ID: 2216131) Visitor Counter : 290