Short Answer

Both husband and wife (as joint owners) can cast separate votes in elections.

Detailed Explanation

Section 31 of the Gujarat Cooperative Societies Act, 1961 allows every member to have one vote in elections. This means that both husband and wife, being joint owners, are entitled to cast separate votes as individual members. The Act does not restrict joint owners from exercising their individual voting rights.

In practice, during cooperative society elections, each member, including joint owners like husband and wife, can independently cast their vote. This ensures that both individuals have a say in the election process and can express their preferences without being bound by the other's choice.

Real-world Scenarios

• In a cooperative society election, Mr. and Mrs. Patel, who are joint owners of a property, can each cast their vote independently based on their preferences.

• If there are multiple joint owners in a cooperative society, each individual has the right to vote according to their own decision, regardless of the joint ownership status.

Step-by-step process:

• During elections, each member, including joint owners, receives a ballot to cast their vote.

• Joint owners can mark their choices independently without the need to decide on a single representative.

Reference

• Section 31 of the Gujarat Cooperative Societies Act, 1961: Official PDF