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🇮🇳 SUPREME LAW OF INDIA • ENFORCEABLE SINCE 26 JAN 1950

The Constitution of India: Sovereign Archive

Explore all 395+ articles across all 25 parts and 12 schedules of the world’s longest written constitution. Complete with plain-language explanations, Constituent Assembly debates, and landmark Supreme Court rulings.

395+
Articles
25
Thematic Parts
12
Schedules
106
Amendments
📜 Preamble “WE, THE PEOPLE OF INDIA, having solemnly resolved to constitute India into a SOVEREIGN SOCIALIST SECULAR DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC...”
“WE, THE PEOPLE OF INDIA, having solemnly resolved to constitute India into a SOVEREIGN SOCIALIST SECULAR DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC and to secure to all its citizens: JUSTICE, social, economic and political; LIBERTY of thought, expression, belief, faith and worship; EQUALITY of status and of opportunity; and to promote among them all FRATERNITY assuring the dignity of the individual and the unity and integrity of the Nation; IN OUR CONSTITUENT ASSEMBLY this twenty-sixth day of November, 1949, do HEREBY ADOPT, ENACT AND GIVE TO OURSELVES THIS CONSTITUTION.”
Page 1 • Plain Meaning Edition
Article 243ZH
Part IX-B

Definitions

Article 243ZH ('Definitions') is part of Part IX-B (The Co-operative Societies, inserted by the 97th Constitutional Amendment Act, 2011). It safeguards autonomous, member-driven co-operative societies (housing societies, dairy/agricultural co-operatives, credit societies) by regulating board elections, 5-year terms, annual general meetings, independent financial audits, and every member's right to inspect society accounts and records. Specifically: In this Part, unless the context otherwise requires,— (a) "authorised person" means a person referred to as such in article 243ZQ; (b) "board" means the board of directors or the governing body of a co-operative society, by whatever...

Article 243ZI
Part IX-B

Incorporation of co-operative societies

Article 243ZI ('Incorporation of co-operative societies') is part of Part IX-B (The Co-operative Societies, inserted by the 97th Constitutional Amendment Act, 2011). It safeguards autonomous, member-driven co-operative societies (housing societies, dairy/agricultural co-operatives, credit societies) by regulating board elections, 5-year terms, annual general meetings, independent financial audits, and every member's right to inspect society accounts and records. Specifically: Subject to the provisions of this Part, the Legislature of a State may, by law, make provisions with respect to the incorporation, regulation and winding up of co-operative societies based on the principles of voluntary formation,...

Article 243ZJ
Part IX-B

Number and term of members of board and its office bearers

Article 243ZJ ('Number and term of members of board and its office bearers') is part of Part IX-B (The Co-operative Societies, inserted by the 97th Constitutional Amendment Act, 2011). It safeguards autonomous, member-driven co-operative societies (housing societies, dairy/agricultural co-operatives, credit societies) by regulating board elections, 5-year terms, annual general meetings, independent financial audits, and every member's right to inspect society accounts and records. Specifically: (1) The board shall consist of such number of directors as may be provided by the Legislature of a State, by law: Provided that the maximum number of directors of a co-operative society shall not exceed twenty-one: Provided further...

Article 243ZK
Part IX-B

Election of members of board

Article 243ZK ('Election of members of board') is part of Part IX-B (The Co-operative Societies, inserted by the 97th Constitutional Amendment Act, 2011). It safeguards autonomous, member-driven co-operative societies (housing societies, dairy/agricultural co-operatives, credit societies) by regulating board elections, 5-year terms, annual general meetings, independent financial audits, and every member's right to inspect society accounts and records. Specifically: (1) Notwithstanding anything contained in any law made by the Legislature of a State, the election of a board shall be conducted before the expiry of the term of the board so as to ensure that the newly elected members of the board assume...

Article 243ZL
Part IX-B

Supersession and suspension of board and interim management

Article 243ZL ('Supersession and suspension of board and interim management') is part of Part IX-B (The Co-operative Societies, inserted by the 97th Constitutional Amendment Act, 2011). It safeguards autonomous, member-driven co-operative societies (housing societies, dairy/agricultural co-operatives, credit societies) by regulating board elections, 5-year terms, annual general meetings, independent financial audits, and every member's right to inspect society accounts and records. Specifically: (1) Notwithstanding anything contained in any law for the time being in force, no board shall be superseded or kept under supersession for a period exceeding six months: Provided that the board may be superseded or kept under suspension...

Article 243ZM
Part IX-B

Audit of accounts of co-operative societies

Article 243ZM ('Audit of accounts of co-operative societies') is part of Part IX-B (The Co-operative Societies, inserted by the 97th Constitutional Amendment Act, 2011). It safeguards autonomous, member-driven co-operative societies (housing societies, dairy/agricultural co-operatives, credit societies) by regulating board elections, 5-year terms, annual general meetings, independent financial audits, and every member's right to inspect society accounts and records. Specifically: (1) The Legislature of a State may, by law, make provisions with respect to the maintenance of accounts by the co-operative societies and the auditing of such accounts at least once in each financial year. (2) The Legislature of a State...

Article 243ZN
Part IX-B

Convening of general body meetings

Article 243ZN ('Convening of general body meetings') is part of Part IX-B (The Co-operative Societies, inserted by the 97th Constitutional Amendment Act, 2011). It safeguards autonomous, member-driven co-operative societies (housing societies, dairy/agricultural co-operatives, credit societies) by regulating board elections, 5-year terms, annual general meetings, independent financial audits, and every member's right to inspect society accounts and records. Specifically: The Legislature of a State may, by law, make provisions that the annual general body meeting of every co-operative society shall be convened within a period of six months of close of the financial year to transact the business as may be...

Article 243ZO
Part IX-B

Right of a member to get information

Article 243ZO ('Right of a member to get information') is part of Part IX-B (The Co-operative Societies, inserted by the 97th Constitutional Amendment Act, 2011). It safeguards autonomous, member-driven co-operative societies (housing societies, dairy/agricultural co-operatives, credit societies) by regulating board elections, 5-year terms, annual general meetings, independent financial audits, and every member's right to inspect society accounts and records. Specifically: (1) The Legislature of a State may, by law, provide for access to every member of a co-operative society to the books, information and accounts of the cooperative society kept in regular transaction of its business with such members. (2)...

Article 243ZP
Part IX-B

Returns

Article 243ZP ('Returns') is part of Part IX-B (The Co-operative Societies, inserted by the 97th Constitutional Amendment Act, 2011). It safeguards autonomous, member-driven co-operative societies (housing societies, dairy/agricultural co-operatives, credit societies) by regulating board elections, 5-year terms, annual general meetings, independent financial audits, and every member's right to inspect society accounts and records. Specifically: (1) Every co-operative society shall file returns, within six months of the close of every financial year, to the authority designated by the State Government including the following matters, namely:— (a) annual report of its...

Article 243ZQ
Part IX-B

Offences and Penalties

Article 243ZQ ('Offences and Penalties') is part of Part IX-B (The Co-operative Societies, inserted by the 97th Constitutional Amendment Act, 2011). It safeguards autonomous, member-driven co-operative societies (housing societies, dairy/agricultural co-operatives, credit societies) by regulating board elections, 5-year terms, annual general meetings, independent financial audits, and every member's right to inspect society accounts and records. Specifically: (1) The Legislature of a State may, by law, make provisions for the offences relating to the co-operative societies and penalties for such offences. (2) A law made by the Legislature of a State under clause (1) shall include the...

Article 243ZR
Part IX-B

Application to multi-State co-operative societies

Article 243ZR ('Application to multi-State co-operative societies') is part of Part IX-B (The Co-operative Societies, inserted by the 97th Constitutional Amendment Act, 2011). It safeguards autonomous, member-driven co-operative societies (housing societies, dairy/agricultural co-operatives, credit societies) by regulating board elections, 5-year terms, annual general meetings, independent financial audits, and every member's right to inspect society accounts and records. Specifically: The provisions of this Part shall apply to the multi-State co-operative societies subject to the modification that any reference to "Legislature of a State", "State Act" or State Government" shall be construed as a reference to...

Article 243ZS
Part IX-B

Application to Union territories

Article 243ZS ('Application to Union territories') is part of Part IX-B (The Co-operative Societies, inserted by the 97th Constitutional Amendment Act, 2011). It safeguards autonomous, member-driven co-operative societies (housing societies, dairy/agricultural co-operatives, credit societies) by regulating board elections, 5-year terms, annual general meetings, independent financial audits, and every member's right to inspect society accounts and records. Specifically: The provisions of this Part shall apply to the Union territories and shall, in their application to a Union territory, having no Legislative Assembly as if the references to the Legislature of a State were a reference to the administrator...

Article 243ZT
Part IX-B

Continuance of existing laws

Article 243ZT ('Continuance of existing laws') is part of Part IX-B (The Co-operative Societies, inserted by the 97th Constitutional Amendment Act, 2011). It safeguards autonomous, member-driven co-operative societies (housing societies, dairy/agricultural co-operatives, credit societies) by regulating board elections, 5-year terms, annual general meetings, independent financial audits, and every member's right to inspect society accounts and records. Specifically: Notwithstanding anything in this Part, any provision of any law relating to co-operative societies in force in a State immediately before the commencement of the Constitution (Ninety-seventh Amendment) Act, 2011, which is inconsistent with...

Part IX-B (13 Articles)
Public Domain & Statutory Authenticity Notice

Under Section 52(1)(q) of the Indian Copyright Act, 1957, the Constitution of India, Bare Acts of Parliament, Gazette Notifications, and Judicial Judgments of the Supreme Court and High Courts are in the Public Domain. Text is reproduced from the official Legislative Department, Ministry of Law & Justice, Government of India (India Code) archives.

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