State Co-operative Minister Harshawardhan Patil said the government is considering to seek a stay on the February 15 deadline on account of "practical difficulties" that could hinder the smooth implementation of the amendment.
The amendment was cleared by the union cabinet in February, 2012, and asked the states to enact a state law, failing which, the central government's amendment would be binding on all.
The amendment, if implemented, has the potential to detach the profitable co-operative sector in Maharashtra from the hold of political parties.
"The issue is not about parties or politicians losing political clout," Patil said while speaking after a consultation of all MLAs on the amendment at the Vidhan Bhavan.
Patil, who had said the state would meet the implementation deadline, remarked that the statute change was proposing "sweeping changes that threw up practical challenges in implementing it."
The most important one that is causing concern among legislators is that if the amendment is implemented, then elections to all of Maharashtra's 2.5 lakh co-operative societies -- from sugar co-operatives to district co-operative banks -- would have to be held again under the aegis of a newly-formed election authority. (More)
