Constitution of India · Part IXB: The Co-Operative Societies
Article 243ZL: Supersession and suspension of board and interim management
In plain words
No board of a co-operative society can be superseded or kept suspended for more than six months. Supersession or suspension is allowed only for persistent default, negligence, acts against the society's or members' interests, a stalemate in the board, or failure of the election authority to hold elections.
- A board cannot be superseded or suspended if there is no Government shareholding, loan, financial assistance or guarantee.
- For co-operative banks, the Banking Regulation Act, 1949 also applies, and for those other than multi-State societies, the limit is one year instead of six months.
- An administrator appointed after supersession must hold elections within that period and hand over to the elected board.
A simplified explanation, prepared with AI assistance from the official text below and checked automatically against it for numbers and cross-references. The official text is the law and prevails over this summary. Not legal advice.
Official text
(1) Notwithstanding anything contained in any law for the time being in force, no board shall be superseded or kept under suspension for a period exceeding six months:
Provided that the board may be superseded or kept under suspension in a case—
(i) of its persistent default; or
(ii) of negligence in the performance of its duties; or
(iii) the board has committed any act prejudicial to the interests of the co-operative society or its members; or
(iv) there is stalemate in the constitution or functions of the board; or
(v) the authority or body as provided by the Legislature of a State, by law, under clause (2) of article 243ZK, has failed to conduct elections in accordance with the provisions of the State Act:
Provided further that the board of any such co-operative society shall not be superseded or kept under suspension where there is no Government shareholding or loan or financial assistance or any guarantee by the Government:
Provided also that in case of a co-operative society carrying on the business of banking, the provisions of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949 (10 of 1949) shall also apply:
Provided also that in case of a co-operative society, other than a multi-State co-operative society, carrying on the business of banking, the provisions of this clause shall have the effect as if for the words “six months”, the words “one year” had been substituted.
(2) In case of supersession of a board, the administrator appointed to manage the affairs of such co-operative society shall arrange for conduct of elections within the period specified in clause (1) and handover the management to the elected board.
(3) The Legislature of a State may, by law, make provisions for the conditions of service of the administrator.
Source: India Code (Legislative Department), the official text of the Constitution of India. As amended up to the Constitution (One Hundred and Sixth Amendment) Act, 2023. Text as on 10 September 2026. Words in square brackets [ ] were inserted or substituted by later amending Acts, and *** marks words omitted by an amendment. The amendment footnotes are not reproduced here. Official text on India Code.