JUDGMENT - M.B. SHAH, C. J. :---These Letters Patent Appeals are filed against the judgment and order dated 16th October 1996, passed in Writ Petition No. 4961 of 1996 and other allied matters.

2.Writ petitions were filed challenging the order dated 18th September 1996, passed by the Collector, Satara, excluding more than 10400 members of the Karkhana as voters out of a total number of 10687 members in the election of the Board of Directors of Shriram Sahakari Sakhar Karkhana Ltd.

3.At the time of the hearing of these Appeals, it is not disputed that the Society is registered under the Maharashtra Co-operative Societies Act, 1960; out of 10400 members who are excluded by the order passed by the Collector 7,000 are founder-members of the Society.

4.For becoming member of the Society, prior to the amendment of the bye-laws, a person was required to apply for share of the face value of Rs. 1,000.00 and was required to pay Rs. 250.00 along with the application. However, in the annual general body meeting of the Society held on 14th July 1995, the bye-laws were amended by which the value of share was increased from Rs. 1,000.00 to Rs. 2,000.00. The said amended bye-laws were approved by t

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