The Punjab and Haryana High Court, by an order dated 23.09.2026 in CWP-31244-2026 (Lal Singh and Others v. State of Haryana and Others), stayed an order dated 07.09.2026 of the Assistant Registrar, Cooperative Societies, Rewari. That order had stayed the election of a cooperative society with immediate effect until the completion of an enquiry into its result. The stay operates until the next date of hearing.
Background
According to the petitioners, the election of the society was held on 04.09.2026. Its result was declared in the meeting of the General Body of the society, and conveyed to the Assistant Registrar. The impugned order was passed only after the result had been received, and without any hearing to the petitioners.
The petitioners also pointed out that the Assistant Registrar had himself notified the date of the election, and had appointed the Inspector, Cooperative Societies, Rewari as the Election Officer. That officer did not supervise the election, on the ground that the records of the society had not been made available, allegedly on the Assistant Registrar’s instructions. The petitioners contended that the same Inspector had been appointed a member of the Board of Administrators by an order dated 27.08.2026, and had been in control and custody of the society’s records since then.
The Petitioners’ Contentions
The petitioners contended that the order was without jurisdiction, since neither the Haryana Cooperative Societies Act, 1984 nor the Rules of 1989 framed under it empower the Assistant Registrar to stay a society’s election with immediate effect until an enquiry into its result is completed.
They relied on Section 28(2) of the Act, contending that once the election process has commenced, it cannot be postponed or stayed on account of any dispute, and that such a dispute can be raised only by way of an election petition under the Act.
The Interim Order
The State, having been served with an advance copy, appeared through the Deputy Advocate General, Haryana, and sought time to file a reply. The Court issued notice of motion, permitted the State to file its reply three days before the next date, and listed the matter on 12.01.2027. It directed that the operation of the impugned order dated 07.09.2026 shall remain stayed until then.
The contentions noted above are those of the petitioners. The Court has not yet decided them, and the writ petition remains pending.
Mr. Vaibhav Sharma, Advocate, appeared for the Petitioners, i.e., Mr. Lal Singh and others.