RNI No. MAHBIL /2009/40123
महाराष्ट्र शासन राजपत्र
असाधाराण भाग पाच-अ
वर्षच १२, अंके १५] बुधावारा, माचच २५, २०२६/चैत्र ४, शाके १९४८ [पृष्ठे ३, किंकेंमत : रुपये ३६.००
असाधाराण क्रमांके २५
प्राकिंधाकेृत प्राकेाशान
महाराष्ट्र किंवधानसभाेत व महाराष्ट्र किंवधानपरिरार्षदेत सादेरा केलेलेी किंवधाेयेके (इंग्रजी अनुवादे).
MAHARASHTRA LEGISLATURE SECRETARIAT
The following Bill was introduced in the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly on the 25th March 2026 is published under Rule 117 of the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly Rules :—
L. A. BILL No. XXIX OF 2026.
A BILL
further to amend the Maharashtra Co-operative Societies Act, 1960.
Mah. XXIV of 1961.
WHEREAS it is expedient further to amend the Maharashtra Co-operative Societies Act, 1960, for the purposes hereinafter appearing; it is hereby enacted in the Seventy-seventh Year of the Republic of India as follows :—
Short title.
1. This Act may be called the Maharashtra Co-operative Societies (Amendment) Act, 2026.
2. In section 73AAA of the Maharashtra Co-operative Societies Act, 1960 (hereinafter referred to as "the principal Act"), in sub-section (3), —
Mah. XXIV of 1961.
Amendment of section 73AAA of Mah. XXIV of 1961.
(१)
भाग पाच-अ-२५–१२ महाराष्ट्र शासन राजपत्र असाधाराण भाग पाच-अ, माचच २५, २०२६/चैत्र ४, शाके १९४८ (1) the first proviso shall be deleted ; (2) in the second proviso, for the words "the Committee of the Society" the words, letter, figures and brackets "the Committee of the Society, except the Committee of Type "A" Societies prescribed in rule 4 of the Maharashtra Co-operative Societies (Election to Committee) Rules, 2014," shall be substituted.
Amendment of section 73B of Mah. XXIV of 1961.
3. In section 73B of the principal Act, in sub-section (4), after the words, brackets and figure "sub-section (3) ;" the words ", by the committee in its meeting which shall be presided over by an officer authorized by the State Co-operative Election Authority" shall be added.
Amendment of section 73C of Mah. XXIV of 1961.
4. In section 73C of the principal Act, in sub-section (3), after the words, brackets and figure "sub-section (2)" the words ", by the committee in its meeting which shall be presided over by an officer authorized by the State Co-operative Election Authority" shall be added.
Amendment of section 73CB of Mah. XXIV of 1961.
5. In section 73CB of the principal Act, in sub-section (9), in the Explanation, for the words, brackets and figure "the expression 'persons to whom sub-section (8) applies' are the", the words "the term 'person' means the Divisional, District, Taluka or Ward Co-operative Election Officers, Observers, Zonal Officers," shall be substituted.
6. For section 73F of the principal Act, the following section shall be substituted, namely :—
Substitution of section 73F of Mah. XXIV of 1961.
Election to more than one seat on committee.
"73F. (1) If a person is elected to more than one seat on the committee then, he shall retain one seat and shall resign all other seats within a period of fifteen days from the date of declaration of the result of the election by writing under his hand addressed to the concerned Registrar. In case such person does not resign within the said period, then all such seats shall become vacant.
(2) On receipt of such resignation or on the seats becoming so vacant, the committee shall forthwith communicate the occurrence of such vacancy to the State Co-operative Election Authority and Divisional, District, Taluka or Ward Co-operative Election Officer, as the case may be.
(3) The vacancy so occurred shall be filled in within one month from the date of such communication, by nomination of the members eligible to contest election from the class of members in respect of which the vacancy has arisen, in the meeting of the committee which shall be presided over by an officer authorized by the State Co-operative Election Authority.".
7. In section 81 of the principal Act, in sub-section (1), in clause (a), in the second proviso, for the words "rupees one lakh" the words "rupees two lakhs" shall be substituted.
Amendment of section 81 of Mah. XXIV of 1961.
8. In section 157 of the principal Act, after the existing proviso, the following proviso shall be added, namely :—
Amendment of section 157 of Mah. XXIV of 1961.
"Provided further that, the State Government shall not exempt any society or class of societies from the provisions made under section 73 CB.".
महाराष्ट्र शासन राजपत्र असाधाराण भाग पाच-अ, माचच २५, २०२६/चैत्र ४, शाके १९४८ ३STATEMENT OF OBJECTS AND REASONS
Section 73B of the Maharashtra Co-operative Societies Act, 1960 (Mah. XXIV of 1961) provides for reservation of certain seats on committees of societies for members belonging to reserved categories and elections thereto. Sub-section (4) of section 73B of the said Act provides that, if no person is elected to any of the reserved seats, then such seats shall be filled in by nomination from amongst the persons belonging to such reserved categories. Section 73C of the said Act provides for reservation of seats for women members on committees of societies. Sub-section (3) of section 73C of the said Act provides that where no woman member is elected to such reserved seat, then such seat shall be filled in by nomination from amongst the women members.
In order to ensure that such vacant reserved seats are filled from members belonging to such reserved categories, the Government considers it expedient to amend said sections 73B and 73C, with a view to provide that meeting of the committee in which such nominations are to be made shall be presided over by an officer authorized by the State Co-operative Election Authority.
2. The Divisional, District, Taluka or Ward Co-operative Election Officers, Observers and Zonal Officers are discharging the official duties relating to the conduct of election of co-operative societies as per the directions of the State Co-operative Election Authority. Sub-section (9) of section 73CB of the said Act is proposed to be amended with a view to expressly mention the said officers, to clarify that the provisions of protection from filing of legal proceedings against them while discharging the said official duties, are also applicable to them.
3. The Government considers it expedient to provide for nomination of members instead of provision of electing members, to fill the vacancies arisen due to resignation of a person elected to more than one seat, as conducting election for few seats is financially burdensome and time consuming. Section 73F of the said Act is proposed to be amended therefor.
4. Section 73CB provides for constitution of the State Co-operative Election Authority for conduct of elections or committees of the co-operative societies. The Government is of the view that the power to exempt societies from the provisions of the Act under section 157 shall not be used in respect of the provisions contained in section 73CB, relating to elections. Therefore, a proviso is proposed to be inserted in section 157 by amending the same.
5. The Bill seeks to achieve the above objectives.
Mumbai,
BABASAHEB PATIL,
Dated the 18th March, 2026. Minister for Co-operation.
JITENDRA BHOLE, Secretary -1,
Vidhan Bhavan : Mumbai, Dated the 25th March, 2026. Maharashtra Legislative Assembly.
ON BEHALF OF GOVERNMENT PRINTING, STATIONERY AND PUBLICATION, PRINTED AND PUBLISHED BY DIRECTOR, RUPENDRA DINESH MORE, PRINTED AT GOVERNMENT CENTRAL PRESS, 21-A, NETAJI SUBHASH ROAD, CHARNI ROAD, MUMBAI 400 004 AND PUBLISHED AT DIRECTORATE OF GOVERNMENT PRINTING, STATIONERY AND PUBLICATIONS, 21-A, NETAJI SUBHASH ROAD, CHARNI ROAD, MUMBAI 400 004. EDITOR : DIRECTOR, RUPENDRA DINESH MORE.