Cooperative Societies Act is constitutional, says High Court

The Calcutta High Court on Friday ruled that West Bengal Cooperative Societies (Amendment and Validation) Act, 2013, is valid and constitutional.

Ashok Bandopadhyaya, who was elected chairman of the West Bengal Cooperative Bank Limited, had moved a writ petition challenging the introduction of certain new provisions into the Act by way of amendments. A division Bench of Chief Justice Manjula Chellur and Justice Joymalya Bagchi said the 2013 Act is valid and constitutional. In 2013, Justice Biswanath Somadder had directed that the provisions of the Act were ultra vires of the constitution. Following the amendment, the tenure of the board of directors of such societies is fixed at 36 months.