After court's order, Anuradha steps down as JCCB chairperson

'My initiates for brining transparency in elections were unacceptable to certain societies'

JAMMU: Anuradha Gupta, Director Horticulture, who was given the additional charge of holding the office of the Jammu Central Cooperative Bank (JCCB), today ceased to be the Chairperson of the bank through a court order.
The court order was followed by a text message sent to bank's administration where she confirmed stepping down from the post, refusing to contest the decision for any alteration.
On Friday, the state high court, while hearing a petition filed by Mallaha Parote, Multi Purpose Cooperative Society Ltd seeking direction for restraining Anuradha Gupta to hold the office of the Chairperson, Board of Administrators, as also other members of the Board of Jammu Central Cooperative Bank Jammu, passed these directions.
While passing directions, the court added that Gupta is at liberty to file any motion for alteration/modification cancellation of the instant order on or before the next dale of hearing.
However, that was not to be as abiding court's order, Anuradha Gupta immediately sent a message to the bank's administration through 'Whatsapp 'that she is no longer the Chairperson of the JCC bank, thus confirming that she will not move against the court's order.
When contacted, Anuradha Gupta told The News Now that she had put forth some slew of measures for bringing transparency in the elections which were opposed by some societies.
"My initiates for brining transparency in elections were unacceptable by certain societies," she told The News Now.
Earlier in the day, when the hearing was taken up, Senior Adv BS Salathia with Advocates Meenakshi Salathia and Bhanu Singh Salathia appearing for the petitioner submitted that no elections to elect the new-office bearers of the Bank has brought nepotism, corruption, red-tapism in the Bank structure and has throttled the entire system.
They further submitted hence the respondents cannot be allowed to play with the future of the Bank by spreading the menace of corruption in an illegal manner by usurping the offices of the Bank for their own vested interests, hence, this petition and the Anuradha Gupta was appointed only with an assignment to conduct the elections to the Board of Directors and not more than and thus, she cannot be allowed to continue in the office of the Chairperson of the Board of Administrators as the same will tantamount to violation of the Rules governing the field.
"Because she instead of assignment as care-taker surpassed and violated the Govt order dated 04.02.2008 with impunity," they maintained.
The council for petitioner further maintained that she is simply a usurper of the office of the Chairperson of the Board of Administrators, and thus is continuing the office illegally and due to non-existence of Board of Director of the JCC Bank Ltd the petitioner's society is facing hardship and acute problem in the functioning of day to day affairs of the society.
It was further submitted that non-holding of election within the period prescribed and more particularly in terms of order No. 08/RCS/SS/2017 dtd 22/08/2017 amounts to violation of mandate of law as prescribed under Section 29 of the J&K Co-Operative Societies Act and non-holding of election by the Anuradha Gupta shall amount to violation of fundamental rights enshrined in the Constitution
After hearing council the court ordered that Anuradha Gupta shall not act as Chairperson Board of Administrators JCC Bank Jammu.
It, however, added that Anuradha Gupta is at liberty to file any motion for alteration/modification cancellation of the instant order cm or before the next dale of hearing.
Meanwhile, authoritative sources said that after she ceased to be chairperson, the JCCB CEO would look after the affairs of the JJC Bank Ltd.