Short Answer

Yes, both co-owners of a jointly owned flat can vote in meetings or elections of a cooperative society.

Detailed Explanation

As per Section 30 of the Gujarat Cooperative Societies Act, 1961, every member of a cooperative society, including joint owners of a flat, has the right to vote in meetings or elections of the society. This means that both co-owners of a flat are entitled to exercise their voting rights individually.

In practice, when a cooperative society holds a meeting or election, each co-owner of the flat can participate and cast their vote independently. The cooperative society must ensure that both co-owners are given the opportunity to exercise their voting rights without any discrimination.

Real-world Scenarios

• Scenario 1: Mr. A and Mr. B jointly own a flat in a cooperative housing society. During the annual general meeting, both Mr. A and Mr. B attend the meeting and cast their votes individually on various agenda items.

• Scenario 2: Ms. X and Ms. Y are co-owners of a flat in a cooperative society. When elections are held for the managing committee, both Ms. X and Ms. Y participate and vote for their preferred candidates.

Step-by-step process:

• Ensure that the cooperative society's bylaws or rules do not restrict joint owners from voting individually.

• Co-owners must attend the meeting or election in person or through authorized representatives.

• Each co-owner should be provided with a ballot or voting mechanism to cast their vote independently.

Reference

• Section 30 of the Gujarat Cooperative Societies Act, 1961: Official PDF