Section 69 in The West Bengal Co-Operative Societies Act, 1983
69. Eligibility for membership of co-operative society. -
(1)Subject to the rules and the by-laws, the following persons shall be eligible for membership of a co-operative society:-(a)an individual competent to contract under section 11 of the Indian Contract Act, 1872;(b)any other co-operative society;(c)the State Government;(d)subject to the approval of the State Government by general or special order, any association or body of persons (whether incorporated or not) or any financing bank:Provided that a student who has not attained the age of majority according to the law to which he is subject shall be eligible for membership of a cooperative society formed in an educational institution to which he belongs.(2)An employee of a co-operative society who is eligible under sub-section (1) to be its member shall, on an application made by him, be admitted as a member of such co-operative society but shall have no right to vote at an election of, or for being elected as, a director of the board [or delegate to any other co-operative society] [Words inserted by West Bengal Act 27 of 1989.].Provided that an employee of a co-operative society composed of worker members who is eligible under sub-section (1) to be its member shall, on an application made by him, be admitted as a member of such co-operative society and shall have a right to vote at an election of, or for being elected as, a director of the board [or delegate to any other co-operative society] [Words inserted by West Bengal Act 27 of 1989.].(3)[ Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained elsewhere in this Act, a co-operative society may, in its interest, admit any person as a nominal member who shall not be entitled to any share in any form in the assets or profits of the co-operative society and shall not be eligible to be elected as a director of the board and shall have no right to attend thie general meeting of the co-operative society but shall have such rights and privileges and shall be subject to such liabilities of a member as may be specified in the by-laws.] [Sub-sections (3) and (4) inserted by West Bengal Act 27 of 1989.](4)[ Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained elsewhere in this Act, a co-operative society may admit pairwise any two persons as joint members and may issue a single share in their joint names. Such members shall, except in such cases as may be prescribed, ordinarily enjoy the rights and privileges of a member jointly.] [Sub-sections (3) and (4) inserted by West Bengal Act 27 of 1989.](5)[ Notwithstanding anything contained in sub-section (1), no central society shall have the right to admit individuals to its membership otherwise than as nominal members in terms of sub-section (3) and the existing individual members shall be deemed to be nominal member for the purposes of this Act:] [Sub-Section (5) with its proviso inserted by West Bengal Act 21 of 1990.]Provided that the existing individual members of a central society shall have the right to withdraw, after serving three months' notice on the society concerned, the share capital contributed by such members within one month from the date of acceptance of such withdrawal and the concerned society shall refund the same to such members after deduction of the debts, if any, due to the concerned society from such members.
