Amendment to Cooperative Societies Act declared unconstitutional

The Calcutta High Court on Wednesday declared as unconstitutional an amendment brought by the West Bengal government to a section of the West Bengal Cooperative Societies Act, 2010. Justice B Somadder declared the amendment to section 36 of the Act, vide which the tenure of the boards of cooperative banks and societies in the state were reduced from 60 months to 36 months, as unconstitutional. Boards of several cooperative banks and societies were dissolved citing the amendment.