Kerala High Court Intervenes in Karassery Bank Election Process
The Kerala High Court has issued a significant interim order, directing the deferment of the publication of the final voters' list for the upcoming election at the Karassery Service Co-operative Bank in Kozhikode. This decision, which pushes the publication deadline to February 11, comes in response to a petition challenging the election procedure and alleging irregularities in membership additions.
Petitioner's Allegations of Electoral Manipulation
Justice P Gopinath passed the order on a plea filed by G Ajith Kumar, a resident of Mukkam in Kozhikode. The petitioner raised serious concerns about the bank's election process, contending that as of November 28, 2025, the bank had only 771 A-class members eligible for voting rights. However, Kumar alleged that on the very next day, after regular banking hours, several share transactions were recorded at the bank's Nellikaparamba branch.
Following these transactions, the number of persons eligible for A-class membership and voting rights reportedly surged to 892. The petitioner claimed this sudden increase represents a deliberate attempt to manipulate the electoral outcome in favor of a specific political party or front, thereby compromising the integrity of the cooperative bank's democratic process.
Bank's Defense and Legal Arguments
On the opposing side, the official respondents, including the Karassery Service Co-operative Bank, argued that the election process was already in advanced stages. They submitted that polling was scheduled for February 22 and the publication of the final voters' list was nearing completion. The bank contended there was no justification for judicial interference at this juncture.
The respondents emphasized the well-settled legal principle of non-interference in electoral processes once they have been formally notified. They urged the court to allow the election to proceed without interruption, maintaining that the process should follow its natural course as per established cooperative society regulations.
Court's Reasoning and Detailed Examination Order
Despite these arguments, the High Court took a different view after examining the case details. The bench observed that the entries reflected in the Nellikaparamba branch's system regarding the share transactions required thorough scrutiny. Justice Gopinath noted that the matter warranted detailed examination to ensure electoral fairness and transparency.
Accordingly, the court directed that the publication of the final voter list be deferred until February 11. The petition has been adjourned to be considered alongside similar petitions on that date, indicating the court's intention to comprehensively address all related concerns before allowing the electoral process to move forward.
This judicial intervention highlights the ongoing tension between electoral autonomy and judicial oversight in cooperative banking elections, particularly when allegations of procedural irregularities surface close to election dates.
