Section 16 in Kerala Cooperative Societies Act, 1969
16. Persons who may become members.
(1)No person shall be admitted as a member of a society except the following, namely:-(a)an individual-(i)who has attained the age of eighteen years: Provided that this sub-clause shall not apply in the case of a society formed exclusively for the benefit of the students of any school or college;(ii)who is not of unsound mind;(iii)who is a resident within, or is in occupation of land in the area of operation of the society;(b)any other society;(ba)[ a local Self government;] [Inserted by Kerala Act No. 1 of 2000.](c)the Government; and(d)any body of persons, whether incorporated or not and whether or not established by or under any law, if such body is approved by the Government in this behalf by general or special order:Provided that in a society formed for the promotion of the economic interests of members through a specified activity no person other than one who is likely to be benefited directly by such activity may be admitted as a member of such society unless such admission is permitted specifically by rules:Provided further that where a society is formed exclusively for the benefit of persons engaged in any particular industry, no person who is not an actual worker in the industry shall be admitted in excess of such percentage of the total membership of the society as may be prescribed:Provided also that the Coffee Board, the Rubber Board and any other statutory or non-statutory Board, Committee or Corporation constituted for the purpose of the development of an industry, may be admitted as a member of a society engaged in marketing and processing of the products of the industry concerned and formed for the workers and growers of such industry, so however that no such Board, Committee or Corporation shall be admitted as a member of a co-operative credit society.[Provided also that in the case of hospital co-operative societies, industrial and commercial establishments and other organizations registered under any other law may be admitted as members.Explanation. - For the purpose of this sub-section 'hospital co-operative society' means a society, the main object of which is to run a hospital or to conduct medical or paramedical courses or to run medical shops.] [Inserted by Kerala Act No. 1 of 2000.](2)Membership in any society other than a society formed for the benefit of the Scheduled Castes or the Scheduled Tribes shall not be refused merely on the ground that a person belongs or does not belong to a particular religion, race, community, caste, sect or denomination. A decision on an application for membership shall be taken within two months from the date of receipt of the application.(2A)[ Where an application for membership in a society is not disposed of within the time specified in sub-section (2) , the Registrar shall be bound, on the written request of the applicant, to determine whether such membership shall be given or not;(2B)Where the Registrar does not, within one month of the date of receipt of such written request determine whether such membership should be given or not, the applicant may make a representation,-(a)before the Registrar, if the request referred to in sub-section (2A) is made to a person on whom, the powers of the Registrar is conferred under sub-section (2) of section 3; or(b)before the Government, if the request referred to in sub-section (2A) is made to the Registrar and the Registrar or the Government, as the case may be, shall, within thirty days from the date of receipt of such representation, determine whether such membership should be given or not.](3)Where a person is refused admission as a member in a society, the decision refusing admission together with the reasons therefore shall be communicated by the society to that person within a period of fifteen days from the date of the decision.
