Vidhi Codex

THE KERALA CO-OPERATIVE SOCIETIES ACT

The Kerala Co-operative Societies Act 1969

Corporate1969136 sections12 chapters

This is a comprehensive law regulating co-operative societies across the state of Kerala, India. It establishes the legal framework for organizing, managing, and monitoring various types of co-operatives including agricultural, credit, housing, and consumer organizations. The act defines terms like co-operative society, apex society, central society, and governing committees while setting rules for registration, administration, and dissolution. It governs democratic self-governing institutions to promote economic development, social justice, and equity as envisioned in India's constitution. The legislation matters because it provides structure for cooperative principles, enables market intervention and management excellence, and creates courts and ombudsman offices to resolve disputes while making the cooperative sector an effective tool for Kerala's grass-roots development.

Start reading →Read full ActSections

Chapter I Chapter I →

  1. 1Short title, extent and commencement
  2. 2Definitions
  3. 3Registrar
  4. 4Societies which may be registered
  5. 5Registration with limited liability only
  6. 6Application for registration of co-operative societies
  7. 7Registration
  8. 8Registration certificate
  9. 8AAffiliation to apex Society
  10. 9Co-operative societies to be bodies corporate
  11. 9APublication of name by a co-operative society
  12. 10Change of name of society
  13. 11Change of liability
  14. 12Amendment of bye-law of society
  15. 13When amendments of bye-laws come into force
  16. 13ASubject matter of Bye-laws
  17. 14Amalgamation, transfer of assets and liabilities and division of societies
  18. 14BPartnership of Co-operative Societies
  19. 15Cancellation of registration certificates of societies in certain cases
  20. 16Persons who may become members
  21. 17Expulsion of members
  22. 18Nominal or associate members.
  23. 19Member not to exercise rights till due payment made.
  24. 19BRight of a member to get information.
  25. 21Manner of exercising vote.
  26. 22Restriction on holding shares.
  27. 23Restrictions on transfer of shares or interest.
  28. 24Restriction on withdrawal of shares.
  29. 25Transfer of interest on death of members.
  30. 26Liability of past member or of estate of deceased Member.

Chapter IV Chapter IV →

  1. 27Final authority in a society.
  2. 28BState Co-operative Election Commission
  3. 28AAReservation for persons with banking experience or professional qualification in the committees of Urban Co-operative Banks
  4. 29Annual general body meeting
  5. 30Special general body meetings
  6. 31Nominees of Government on committee of an apex or a central society
  7. 32Supersession of committee
  8. 33Appointment of new committee or administrator on failure to constitute committee, etc.
  9. 34Securing possession of records, etc.

Chapter V Chapter V →

  1. 35First charge of society on certain assets.
  2. 36Charge on land owned or held by members borrowing loans from certain societies.
  3. 37Deduction from salary to meet society’s claim in certain cases
  4. 38Charges and set-off in respect of shares or interest of members in the capital of a society
  5. 39Shares or interest or reserve fund not liable to attachment
  6. 40Exemption from certain taxes, fees and duties
  7. 41Exemption from compulsory registration of instruments

Chapter VI Chapter VI →

  1. 42Direct partnership of Government in societies
  2. 43Indirect partnership of Government in societies
  3. 44Principal State Partnership Fund
  4. 45Subsidiary State Partnership Fund
  5. 46Approval of Government for purchase of shares
  6. 47Liability to be limited in respect of certain shares
  7. 48Restrictions on amount of dividend
  8. 49Indemnity of apex and central societies
  9. 50Disposal of share capital and dividend, etc.
  10. 51Disposal of Principal State Partnership Fund and Subsidiary State Partnership Fund on winding up of apex or central society.
  11. 52Agreement by Government and apex societies.
  12. 53Other forms of State aid to societies.
  13. 54Provisions of sections 43 to 52 to over-ride other laws.

Chapter VII Chapter VII →

  1. 55Funds not to be divided.
  2. 56Disposal of net profit.
  3. 56ADisposal of non-banking assets.
  4. 57Investment of Funds.
  5. 57CConsortium Lending Scheme.
  6. 58Restriction on borrowings
  7. 59Restrictions on loans
  8. 60Restrictions on other transactions with non-members
  9. 61Provident Fund
  10. 62Gratuity

Chapter VIII PART - A →

  1. 63Director of Co-operative Audit
  2. 64Scope of audit, powers of the Director of Co-operative Audit and procedure for audit
  3. 65Inquiry by the Registrar
  4. 66Supervision and Inspection
  5. 67Cost of inquiry or inspection
  6. 68Surcharge
  7. 68AVigilance Officer
  8. 69Disputes to be decided by Co-operative Arbitration Court and Registrar
  9. 70Award on disputes
  10. 71Winding up of societies
  11. 72Liquidator
  12. 73Powers of Liquidator
  13. 74Cancellation of registration of a society
  14. 74AInsured co-operative banks
  15. 74CInspection in certain Co-operatives
  16. 74DDuty of Chief Executive to supply confirmation certificate
  17. 74EManner of acceptance of deposits and lending of money
  18. 74FWrite off of loans
  19. 74GLibrary in Co-operative Societies
  20. 74HAmalgamation of District Co-operative Banks to the Kerala State Co-operative Bank

Chapter XI Chapter XI →

  1. 75Enforcement of charge
  2. 76Execution of orders, etc.
  3. 77Registrar or person empowered by him to be a civil court for certain purposes
  4. 78Attachment of property before award or order
  5. 79Recovery of sums due to Government

Chapter XII Chapter XII →

  1. 80Officers, etc., of co-operative societies
  2. 80CThe Kerala Co-operative Employees’ Welfare Scheme
  3. 80DThe Kerala State Co-operative Employees’ Welfare Board

Chapter XIII Chapter XIII →

  1. 81Tribunal
  2. 81AProvisions as to certain pending Proceedings
  3. 82Appeals to Tribunal
  4. 83Appeals to other authorities
  5. 84Revision by Tribunal
  6. 85Review of orders by Tribunal
  7. 86Interlocutory orders by Tribunal
  8. 87Powers of revision of Registrar and Government

Chapter XIV Chapter XIV →

  1. 88AAppointment of officer on default or negligence of members of a Circle Co-operative Union
  2. 88BAppointment of officer on failure to constitute the Circle Co-operative Union
  3. 88CRemoval of Chairman
  4. 89Establishment of State Co-operative Union
  5. 89AAppointment of officer or committee of default on negligence of the managing committee of the State Co-operative Union
  6. 89BAppointment of officers or committee on failure to constitute the managing committee of the State Co-operative Union
  7. 90Co-operative Societies to affiliate to State Co-operative Union
  8. 91Functions of State Co-operative Union
  9. 92Assets, liabilities, etc., of Regional Unions
  10. 93Assets, liabilities etc., of State Union

Chapter XV Chapter XV →

  1. 94Offences
  2. 95Cognizance of offences
  3. 95AOffences by companies

Chapter XVI Chapter XVI →

  1. 96Address of a society
  2. 97Copy of Act, rules and bye-laws to be open to inspection
  3. 98Tribunal, Registrar, etc., to have certain powers of civil court
  4. 99Orders to be pronounced
  5. 100Bar of jurisdiction of courts
  6. 101Power to exempt societies
  7. 102Register of members
  8. 103Proof of entries in society’s books
  9. 104Service of notice
  10. 105Acts of societies not to be invalidated by certain defects
  11. 106Immunity for acts done or purporting to be done in good faith
  12. 107Companies Act, 1956, not to apply
  13. 108Duties of Police Officer
  14. 109Power to make rules
  15. 110Repeal and savings

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