JUDGMENT

Chinnappa Reddy, J.- The civil appeal, the special leave petitions and the writ petitions were heard together. There were some points common to all the cases and some special only to a few of the cases. It is unnecessary to state the facts of any of the cases in detail. Before the passing of the U. P. Cooperative Societies Act, 1965, the Cooperative Societies Act, 1912, was in force and various cooperative societies including cooperative banks were registered under that Act. In 1965 the U. P. Cooperative Societies Act, 1965, was passed to consolidate and amend the law relating to cooperative societies, in Uttar Pradesh. The Statement of Objects and Reasons shows that the effort was to reorient the policy of the State towards cooperation and to adopt cooperative techniques in various spheres of developmental activity. Experience had shown that it was also necessary to introduce some provisions to entrust additional function and responsibilities to cooperative societies but at the same time it was necessary to give proper guidance and exercise effective supervision and control. It was expressly stated that one of the principal objects, of the Act was to enable the weaker section of the public to benefit from cooperatives. Therefore, provision was made for State aid to cooperative societies in various forms while at the same time providing for a proper machinery for supervision and guidance.

2. Cooperative society is defined in the Act as meaning a society registered or deemed to be registered under the Act. An apex society, apex level society or State level cooperative society is defined as meaning U. P. State Cooperative Land Development Bank Ltd. and such other State-level cooperative banks, including any other central cooperative society with an area of operation covering the whole of Uttar Pradesh and fulfilling certain prescribed conditions. A central society or central cooperative society is defined as meaning a cooperative society which has other cooperative societies as its ordinary members and is not a primary cooperative society. A primary society is defined as a cooperative society, whose ordinary membership is not open to any other cooperatixe society. A credit society is defined as a society which has as its primary object the raising of funds to be lent to its members. A financing bank or central bank is defined to mean a cooperative society whose main object is to lend money to cooperative societies which are its ordinary members. Committee of management is defined to mean the committee of cooperative society by whatever name called to which the management of the affairs of the Society is entrusted under Section 29 of the Act.

3. Chapter II of the Act deals with Registration of Cooperative Societies. Chapter III deals with Members of Cooperative Societies and their Rights and liabilities. Chapter IV deals with Management of Societies.

4. Section 28 of the Act vests the final authority of a cooperative society in the general body of its members in general meeting. Section 29 "provides for the vesting of the management of every cooperative society in a committee of management constituted in accordance with the Act, Rules and bye-laws. Section 34 provides for the nomination of members by the government to the committee of management in the case of certain Cooperative Societies. Section 29 further provides that where the term of office of a committee has expired and for any reason the election of the members of the Management committee has not taken place, the Registrar is empowered to appoint an administrator for the management of the affairs of the society. Section 30 provides for the election of a Chairman who shall be responsible for the control, supervision and guidance of the affairs and business of the society. Section 31 provides that there shall be a Secretary for every cooperative society (except in the case of an apex society) to be appointed and removable by the society subject to the provisions of S