India, Nov. 7 -- Despite the strident objections of Opposition parties, the Mahayuti government has issued an ordinance to amend the Cooperative Societies Act in order to increase the government-nominated directors on cooperative bodies with a turnover of more than Rs.500 crore from two to five and also give them voting rights. Maharashtra governor Jishnu Dev Varma approved the amendment on Friday.

With this ordinance, which is a temporary law designed specifically for urgent circumstances, the BJP-led ruling coalition stands accused of undermining the mandate of members of the Kolhapur District Cooperative Milk Producers' Federation (known for its popular milk brand Gokul). It lost the Gokul election to the Congress-backed panel (the Ra...