SC upholds ouster of Chaudhary as GCMMF chief

AHMEDABAD: Whatever little hopes that dairy cooperatives' strongman Vipul Chaudhary had of returning as chairman of Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation (GCMMF) were dashed on Thursday after the Supreme Court confirmed his removal from the apex body of milk cooperatives that markets brand Amul.
Over a year ago, 14 GCMMF board members of the total 17 had voted against Chaudhary, accusing him of not taking the federation's nod before sending cattle feed worth crores to Mahrashtra free of cost.Chaudhary had earned the ire of GCMMF as Gujarat was also drought-hit.
Chaudhary had challenged this decision before the apex court and termed it a political move. After hearing the case, the SC turned down his appeal and held that democratic principles have to be read into the statute pertaining to co-operative societies and therefore, there is a power to pass 'no confidence' motion, which actually had happened in his case.
The controversy over Chaudhary's position started after he was spotted with Congress party leader Rahul Gandhi during the latter's state visit in 2013. Later, senior Congress leader Shankersinh Vagehla had also written to then UPA government and recommended Chaudhary for the post National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) chairman.
In the last week of October 2013, a meeting of the GCCMF board of directors was convened to discuss the no-confidence motion against Chaudhary. He moved the Gujarat High Court that had intervened initially but later allowed the meeting to take place. In December 2013, the motion was passed following which Chaudhary moved SC.
Though the apex court refused to stay any consequences of the no-confidence motion, its verdict was awaited to determine Chaudhary's position in co-operative politics.
Following the resolution passed by the Board of Directors, GCMMF managing director conveyed to Chaudhary by a letter in January 2014 that the resolution passed by the board members was in effect because the high court had also turned down his appeal in that regard.