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Congress Proposes Nominations Over Elections for Telangana Cooperative Bodies

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  Published in Politics and Government on Wednesday, December 24th 2025 at 6:48 GMT by Telangana Today

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Congress pushes to replace cooperative elections with nominations – eyes key posts in PACs and DCCBs

In a bid to tighten its grip on the rural‑credit machine in Telangana, the Indian National Congress (INC) has tabled a resolution that would bypass the traditional electoral process for a host of posts in the state’s cooperative sector. The party’s proposal focuses on two critical pillars of the cooperative ecosystem: the Primary Agricultural Committees (PACs) and the District Cooperative Credit Banks (DCCBs). According to the Congress, filling these positions through nominations would “streamline decision‑making, reduce corruption and ensure that farmers’ interests are genuinely represented.”

The move has already sparked a heated debate among state legislators, political analysts, and farmer‑organisation leaders, all of whom fear that the proposal could erode the democratic safeguards built into the cooperative framework over decades.

1. What are PACs and DCCBs?

The cooperative movement in Telangana is organised on a three‑tier system:

1. Village‑level cooperatives – These are the basic units where farmers pool resources to purchase inputs, obtain credit, and market produce.
2. District‑level cooperatives – The DCCBs serve as the financial arm of the system, offering short‑term and long‑term credit to member societies.
3. PACs – Short for Primary Agricultural Committees, these are local bodies that coordinate between village cooperatives and the state government, ensuring policy implementation and grievance redressal.

Under the current scheme, each of these bodies is headed by elected representatives who serve fixed terms. Elections are held annually at the state level, a process that has been criticised for being expensive, time‑consuming, and, in some instances, prone to political patronage.

2. Why is the Congress advocating for nominations?

The Congress’ argument hinges on three points:

• Efficiency – The party claims that elections slow down decision‑making and hamper quick access to credit for farmers. By nominating trusted cadres, it asserts that the cooperative machinery can become more responsive to urgent agricultural needs.

• Anti‑corruption – Critics of the current system say that elected officials sometimes use their positions for personal gain. The Congress proposes that a merit‑based nomination process would limit the scope for such malpractices.

• Political representation – The INC wants to ensure that its policy priorities—such as increased state subsidies, rural electrification, and crop‑insurance schemes—are reflected in the cooperative bodies. Through nominations, the party believes it can guarantee a cadre of officials who are aligned with its agenda.

The proposal also aligns with the Congress’ broader strategy of wooing rural voters ahead of the upcoming Telangana state elections. By promising “direct, accountable” leadership in the cooperative sector, the party hopes to appeal to farmers who feel sidelined by the ruling Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) and its allies.

3. The legislative process

The resolution was filed by a senior Congress MP in the Telangana Legislative Assembly. While it has not yet been passed, the debate has already opened up a corridor for possible amendments. The main points of contention are:

• Legal validity – Opponents argue that the Cooperative Societies Act, 1959, stipulates that all executive positions must be filled through elections. A unilateral shift to nominations could be challenged as unconstitutional.

• Democratic erosion – Political science scholars note that cooperative societies were established as a grassroots, democratic alternative to private banking. Removing elections could undermine the very principle that gave these institutions their legitimacy.

• Implementation logistics – Even if nominations were allowed, there would be a need for transparent guidelines on who can be nominated, how they are vetted, and how the process can be audited.

The Telangana High Court has already received a petition from the farmers’ federation “Telangana Rythu Sangham” contesting the resolution on the grounds that it violates Article 19(1)(g) of the Constitution. The court’s order, which was published on the court’s official website, demands a detailed review of the proposed amendments to the Cooperative Societies Act.

4. Opposition from farmer groups and the ruling party

Farmers’ bodies across the state, including the Telangana Farmers’ Union and the All India Farmers’ Congress, have issued open letters condemning the Congress’ proposal. They argue that the cooperative sector is “the bedrock of rural India” and that any attempt to dilute its democratic character is “a direct assault on farmers’ rights.”

The ruling TRS, meanwhile, has been quick to distance itself from the controversy. TRS spokesperson Anil Rao said in a press statement, “The Congress’s plan is a political ploy that threatens the welfare of our rural community. Telangana’s cooperative sector has always been a democratic institution that works for the farmer’s benefit.”

The opposition party Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has also weighed in, calling the proposal “a dangerous precedent that could be replicated in other states and erode democratic governance in rural India.”

5. The potential ripple effects

Should the resolution pass, the ripple effects could be far-reaching:

1. Political accountability – Nominated officials would be answerable primarily to the party leadership, potentially reducing the accountability that farmers currently hold through elections.

2. Funding and subsidies – With a direct pipeline of party‑aligned officials, the distribution of state subsidies could become more efficient but also more politicised.

3. Legal challenges – The Supreme Court may ultimately be called upon to settle whether the act of bypassing elections in the cooperative sector is permissible under the Constitution.

4. Future reforms – The debate could spark broader reforms in cooperative governance nationwide, with other states either replicating or rejecting the model.

6. Looking ahead

The next few weeks will be critical. The Telangana Assembly is scheduled to hold a public hearing on the resolution, during which experts, farmers, and civil‑society representatives will voice their concerns. The outcome of that hearing will determine whether the Congress’s bold attempt to reshape the cooperative landscape gains traction or stalls.

For now, the question remains: Will the cooperative sector—long considered a bastion of rural democracy—evolve into a party‑controlled mechanism, or will the people’s voice prevail in the ballot boxes of PACs and DCCBs? The answer will set a precedent for how India’s vast network of cooperatives, which underpins the livelihoods of millions, is governed in the years to come.