NEW DELHI, JANUARY 19, 2026: In a significant step towards strengthening democratic governance and transparency in the cooperative sector, the Cooperative Election Authority (CEA), under the aegis of the Ministry of Cooperation, convened a consultative meeting with representatives of Multi-State Cooperative Societies of Railway Employees on 19 January 2026. The meeting aimed at facilitating the alignment of society bye-laws with the provisions of the Multi-State Cooperative Societies (Amendment) Act, 2023.
The meeting witnessed active participation from representatives of 16 Multi-State Railway Employees’ Cooperative Societies, with over 40 office bearers, including Chairpersons and Chief Executives, deliberating on critical issues related to electoral reforms and statutory compliance.
Addressing the gathering, Devendra Kumar Singh, Chairperson, Cooperative Election Authority, outlined the mandate of the CEA, established pursuant to the 2023 amendments to the MSCS Act. He emphasised the Authority’s responsibility in ensuring the preparation of electoral rolls and the conduct of free, fair, and transparent elections in Multi-State Cooperative Societies. Shri Singh informed that the CEA has successfully conducted 220 elections, while 70 elections are currently underway across the country.
Railway Employees’ Multi-State Cooperative Societies collectively represent around 8–10 lakh railway employees and manage deposits and loan portfolios estimated at nearly ₹10,000 crore, with four societies holding banking licences. Since its inception, the CEA has conducted elections in five major Railway Employees’ Cooperative Societies across Mumbai, Kolkata, Gorakhpur, and Bikaner.
The discussions focused on alignment of bye-laws with the amended MSCS Act, constitution of representative General Bodies, election of delegates, timely submission of election proposals—at least six months before completion of the Board’s tenure—and the importance of maintaining functional websites to enhance transparency and accountability.
To institutionalise robust electoral practices, the CEA has introduced comprehensive measures, including Manuals for Returning Officers, guidelines for approval of Boards of Directors and Office Bearers, a Handbook on preparation of voters’ lists, Model Code of Conduct, and norms for submission of election expenditure statements by candidates.
R.K. Gupta, Vice-Chairperson, CEA, made a detailed presentation on operational challenges and the steps taken by the Authority to ensure integrity and transparency in the electoral process. Shri Anand Kumar Jha, Central Registrar of Cooperative Societies, and Ms. Monika Khanna, Member, CEA, underscored the urgency for societies to amend their bye-laws in conformity with the amended Act to enable smooth and timely conduct of elections.
The meeting was also attended by S.K. Roy, Deputy Director (Establishment), Ministry of Railways, along with senior officials from the Ministry of Cooperation, including Mukesh Kumar, Economic Advisor, and Renu Shekhawat, Joint Director.
Participants appreciated the proactive initiatives of the Cooperative Election Authority and recommended regular consultative engagements to further strengthen democratic functioning and good governance in cooperative institutions, in line with the vision of the Ministry of Cooperation, Government of India.
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