Home The Constitution Part IXB Article 243ZL

Art. 243ZL Part IXB: The Co-operative Societies

Supersession and Suspension of Board and Interim Management

Exact text — Constitution of India

(1) Subject to the provisions of any law made by the Legislature of a State, the board may be superseded or kept under suspension for a period not exceeding six months: Provided that the board shall not be superseded or kept under suspension in case where there is no Government shareholding or loan or financial assistance or any guarantee by the Government: Provided further that in case of a co-operative society carrying on the business of banking, the provisions of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949, shall also apply... (2) In case of supersession of a board, the administration of the co-operative society shall vest in an administrator... who shall arrange for conduct of elections within the period specified in clause (1) and shall handover the management of such co-operative society to the elected board.

In Plain English

What this Article actually means

This is arguably the single most important protective Article in this whole Part — it caps how long a state government can supersede (dissolve and take over) an elected co-operative board at 6 months maximum, specifically to prevent the kind of indefinite political control over co-operative institutions (particularly co-operative banks) that this Amendment was largely designed to address. It also protects co-operatives with NO government financial stake from being superseded at all.

Why This Matters To You

How it shows up in everyday life

This is a direct, practically enforceable protection: if your co-operative bank or society's elected board has been dissolved by the state government, this Article guarantees fresh elections must happen within 6 months — the government can't simply run it through an appointed administrator indefinitely.

Read alongside this one

Art. 243zk — Election of Members of the Board

Frequently Asked

Quick answers about Article 243ZL

Can a state government take over my co-operative society's management forever?

No — this Article specifically caps supersession/suspension at 6 months, after which fresh board elections must be held and management returned to the elected board.

Can the government supersede ANY co-operative, even one with no government money in it?

No — the first proviso specifically protects co-operatives with no government shareholding, loan, financial assistance, or guarantee from being superseded at all under this Article.

← PreviousArticle 243ZK: Election of Members of Board Next →Article 243ZM: Audit of Accounts of Co-operative Societies

The text above reproduces Article 243ZL of the Constitution of India as amended to date, for general educational reference. It is public-domain legislative text, but we recommend cross-checking the authoritative version at legislative.gov.in or india.gov.in before relying on it for a legal matter. The explanation, examples and FAQs are general information, not legal advice — consult a qualified advocate for guidance on your specific situation.