G.L. Oza, J.

1. This is a petition filed by the petitioner against an order passed by the respondent number 1 on 8th September 1970.

2. The petitioner is a co operative society functioning under the Madhya Pradesh Co-operative Societies Act, 1960 (hereinafter called the Act) and is registered under that Act as a Co-operative Bank. According to the petitioner, under section 49(b) of the Act, the society is to elect its Board of Directors in accordance with the procedure laid down in rule 41 of the rules framed under the Act. These elections are held under the supervision of Returning Officer appointed under rule 41 (26). In the present case, the Collector was appointed as a returning officer who delegated his powers to a Deputy Collector. It is alleged that under the provisions contained in section 49, the general body of the society also elects delegates for representing the petitioner-Bank in other societies. In order, therefore, to elect its four delegates to represent the petitioner-Bank at the M. P. State Co-operative Bank Ltd., Bhopal, M. P. State Coperative Union, Jabalpur, Premier Co-operative Bank Ltd Indore and the district Cooperative Union Indore a meeting of the gene