S. OBUL REDDI, C. J.

( 1 ) IN this batch of writ petitions, the constitutional validity of S. 15-A of the Andhra Pradesh Co-operative Societies Act, as inserted by Act 6 of 1977, is questioned on the ground that the said section is ultra virus Arts. 14, 19 and 31 of the Constitution of India. As the question involved is common to all the petitions, we may refer to the facts stated by the petitioners in W. P. Nos. 1892, 1929, 1732, 2025 and 2316 of 1977.

( 2 ) IN W. P. No. 1892 of 1977, the petitioner is Sri Chodeswaraswami Co-operative Credit Society, Sanipalli lanka in Amalapuram taluk, East Godavari district, represented by its President, Bobba Janakiramiah. The respondents are (1) Government of Andhra Paradesh, represented by its Secretary, Food and Agriculture Department (2) The District Collector, East Godavari District and (3) the Divisional Co-Operative Officer, Amalapuram, East Godavari district. The petitioner-society was registered in the year 1946 and the area of operation of the society is Sanapalli lanka village and its hamlet Moolapalem. The population of the said village is about 6,500. The Ayacut of the village is about 2,096 acres. The society consists of 250 membe