CHENNAI: The State Assembly on Saturday readopted the Cooperative Societies (Amendment) Bill by voice vote amid sharp criticism of the Governor.

Originally, the Governor had withheld assent to the Bill since 2024 and formally returned it to the State on June 6, 2025.

It was reintroduced in the House by the Minister for Cooperation. The legislation seeks to grant additional powers to Registrars of Cooperative Societies, including the authority to dissolve cooperative societies if serious irregularities are detected.

During the debate, members from several political parties criticised the Governor's decision to return the Bill.

Those who spoke included PMK's GK Mani, VCK's SS Balaji, CPM's Nagai Mali, MDMK's Sathan Thirumalaikumar, MMK's MH Jawahirullah and KMDK's Easwaran.

Members alleged that the repeated return of Bills by the Governor amounted to an obstruction of the legislative authority of the elected Assembly. With the Assembly having readopted the legislation, the Governor was constitutionally bound to grant assent, government sources said.