Administrator of a cooperative society lacks the power to enrol new members or modify electoral rolls.

The Petitioner, a member of the National Cooperative Union of India (NCUI/Respondent No. 4), challenged an order dated 19th January 2026 issued by the Central Registrar of Cooperative Societies

The impugned order appointed an Administrator to manage NCUI because the five-year term of its Governing Council had expired in November 2025 without subsequent elections, resulting in a stalemate

Following the appointment, the Administrator enrolled Respondents No. 5, 6, and 7 as new members in February 2026

The Petitioner contended that an Administrator lacks the legal authority to enroll new members or alter the electoral roll for upcoming elections

1. Whether the Administrator appointed under the Multi-State Co-operative Societies Act, 2002, has the authority to enroll new members and permit them to participate in the upcoming elections of the Governing Council.

2. What is the appropriate timeline and procedure for the conduct of elections for the Governing Council of the NCUI?

The court applied Section 123(1) of the Multi-State Co-operative Societies Act, 2002, which empowers the Central Government to supersede a Board and appoint an Administrator if the election authority fails to conduct timely elections

It further relied on the Supreme Court precedents in K. Shantharaj and Anr v. M.L. Nagaraj and Ors. (1997) and Joint Registrar of Cooperative Societies Kerala v. T.A. Kuttappan and others (2000), which established that an Administrator or Special Officer is appointed to manage the society’s affairs and conduct elections based on existing rolls, but is not vested with the power to enroll new members

The Court observed that while the appointment of an Administrator was justified due to the expiry of the Governing Council's term and the need to resolve the administrative stalemate, the Administrator’s powers are strictly parameters-bound by the Act and judicial precedents.

Citing K. Shantharaj, the Court noted that the power to conduct elections does not imply a power to update electoral lists by enrolling new members, as the Administrator must conduct the process with the members already on the rolls at the time of appointment

The Court rejected the Respondents' argument that pending applications justified the new enrollments, holding that allowing an Administrator to modify the electoral roll would exceed their statutory function of maintaining the status quo for the purpose of free and fair elections

It directed that the electoral roll for the elections shall be frozen as it existed on 19th January 2026, with exceptions only for substitutions by legal heirs

The Court ordered the Administrator to notify the election schedule by 30th April 2026 and conclude the entire process by 31st July 2026

The petition was disposed of with these directions, leaving the question of whether NCUI is a "specified multi-state cooperative society" open