Question

Which of the following statements are correct regarding the 97th Constitutional Amendment Act?

i. It added the right to form cooperative societies as a Fundamental Right under Article 19(c).

ii. It mandated that the board of directors of a cooperative society shall not exceed 21 members.

iii. It provided for the supersession of a cooperative society’s board for up to one year in case of persistent default.

• A. i and ii
• B. ii and iii
• C. i and iii
• D. i, ii, and iii

Answer 1

Answer:

A. i and ii

97th Constitutional Amendment Act, 2011

• Part IX-B of the Constitution was added by this amendment, which deals with Cooperative Societies.
• It conferred constitutional status on cooperative societies.
• Article 19(1)(c) was amended to include the right to form cooperative societies as a fundamental right.
• A new Article 43B was added, which directs the State to endeavour to promote cooperative societies voluntarily, ensuring their autonomous functioning, democratic control, and professional management.
• The amendment mandated that the maximum number of directors on the board of a cooperative society should not exceed twenty-one.
• It also stipulated provisions for the dissolution of the board of a cooperative society in certain circumstances, but it did not specify a period of up to one year for supersession due to persistent default.
• The amendment aimed to encourage the formation and functioning of cooperative societies to strengthen the cooperative movement in India.
• It was a significant step towards ensuring better governance and management of cooperative institutions across the country.