JUDGMENT :

Amit B. Borkar, J.

1. This reference has been made to the Full Bench, pursuant to the order dated 8th November 2019 of the learned Single of this Court for considering the following question of law:

"Whether the members of the APMC who are elected by the members of the Managing Committee of the Agricultural Credit Societies and Multi-purpose Cooperative Societies or the members of the Village Panchayat functioning in the market area cease to be members of the APMC on ceasing to be the members of the Managing Committee of the societies or the members of the Village Panchayat, in view of the proviso to Section 15 of the Act?".

2. The learned Single Judge felt the need to make this reference, in view of conflicting decisions of the Division Benches of this Court, one holding that the members of the Agricultural Produce Market Committee (for short "APMC") who are elected by the Managing Committees of the Societies would cease to be members of the APMC, in the event, they ceased to be members of the Managing Committees of their parent Society. (Purshottam s/o Pandharinath Tonpe Vs. Agriculture Produce Market Committee, Wardha and Ors., reported in 2013 (6) Mh. L.J. 688 and Huku