Section3
The Multi-State Co-operative Societies Act, 2002

Definitions

In force From 19 Aug 2002 Act 39 of 2002 As on 16 Oct 2026

Act 39 of 2002 Ministry Cooperation Enacted 03 Jul 2002 In force 19 Aug 2002 Cited by 1 provision Instruments 6

Section 3 of the Multi-State Co-operative Societies Act, 2002 deals with definitions. In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires,-- (a) "area of operation" means the area from which the persons are admitted as members; The Act came into force on 19 Aug 2002.

In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires,--

(a) "area of operation" means the area from which the persons are admitted as members;

(b) "board" means the board of directors or the governing body of a multi-State co-operative society, by whatever name called, to which the direction and control of the management of the affairs of the society is entrusted;

(c) "bye-laws" means the bye-laws for the time being in force which have been duly registered or deemed to have been registered under this Act and includes amendments thereto which have been duly registered or deemed to have been registered under this Act;

(d) "Central Registrar" means the Central Registrar of Co-operative Societies appointed under sub-section (1) of section 4 and includes any officer empowered to exercise the powers of the Central Registrar under sub-section (2) of that section;

(e) "Chief Executive" means a Chief Executive of a multi-State co-operative society appointed under section 51;

(f) "co-operative bank" means a multi-State co-operative society which undertakes banking business;

(g) "co-operative principles" means the co-operative principles specified in the First Schedule;

(h) "co-operative society" means a society registered or deemed to be registered under any law relating to co-operative societies for the time being in force in any State;

(i) "co-operative year", in relation to any multi-State co-operative society or class of such societies, means the year ending on the 31st day of March of the year and where the accounts of such society or class of such societies are, with the previous sanction of the Central Registrar, balanced on any other day, the year ending on such day;

(j) "Deposit Insurance Corporation" means the Deposit Insurance and Credit Guarantee Corporation established under section 3 of the Deposit Insurance Corporation Act, 1961 (47 of 1961);

(k) "federal co-operative" means a federation of co-operative societies registered under this Act and whose membership is available only to a co-operative society or a multi-State co-operative society;

(l) "general body", in relation to a multi-State co-operative society, means all the members of that society and in relation to a national co-operative society or a federal co-operative means all the delegates of member co-operative societies or delegates of multistate co-operative societies and includes a body constituted under the first proviso to sub-section (1) of section 38;

(m) "general meeting" means a meeting of the general body of a multistate co-operative societies and includes special general meeting;

(n) "member" means a person joining in the application for the registration of a multi-State cooperative society and includes a person admitted to membership after such registration in accordance with the provisions of this Act, the rules and the byelaws;

(o) "member co-operative" means a co-operative society or a multistate co-operative society which is member of a federal co-operative ;

(p) "multi-State co-operative society" means a society registered or deemed to be registered under this Act and includes a national co-operative society and a Federal co-operative ;

(q) "multi-State co-operative society with limited liability" means a society having the liability of its members limited by its bye-laws to the amount, if any, unpaid on the shares, respectively, held by them or to such amount as they may, respectively, thereby undertake to contribute to the assets of the society, in the event of its being wound up;

(r) "national co-operative society" means a multi-State co-operative society specified in the Second Schedule;

(s) "notification" means a notification published in the Official Gazette;

(t) "officer" means a president, vice-president, chairperson, vice-chairperson, managing director, secretary, manager, member of a board, treasurer, liquidator, an administrator appointed under section 123 and includes any other person empowered under this Act or the rules or the bye-laws to give directions in regard to the business of a multi-State co-operative society;

(u) "prescribed" means prescribed by rules;

(v) "Reserve Bank" means the Reserve Bank of India constituted under the Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934 (2 of 1934);

(w) "rules" means the rules made under this Act.

Section 3, The Multi-State Co-operative Societies Act, 2002 (Act 39 of 2002).

Cross-references

Extracted from the operative text of the enactments themselves. Every destination below exists in our corpus.

Made under this section, and citing it

6 instruments name this provision in its title or its text without being made under it.

All subordinate legislation

Questions about Section 3

What does Section 3 of the Multi-State Co-operative Societies Act deal with?

Section 3 of the Multi-State Co-operative Societies Act is headed "Definitions". In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires,-- (a) "area of operation" means the area from which the persons are admitted as members;

How do I find court cases under Section 3 of the Multi-State Co-operative Societies Act?

In judgments and charge sheets this section is written several ways, and each form finds a different set of orders. These search the full text of every order eCourtsIndia holds, best matches first: Multi-State Co-operative Societies Act 3, section 3 Multi-State Co-operative Societies Act, section 3 of the Multi-State Co-operative Societies Act. Each opens the full list of orders on eCourtsIndia, where it can be narrowed by court, year and outcome.

What should I read with Section 3 of the Multi-State Co-operative Societies Act, and has it changed?

Its own text turns on section 4 (Central Registrar), section 38 (Constitution, powers and functions of general body), section 51 (Chief Executive), section 123 (Supersession of board of specified multi-State co-operative society), so none of them can safely be read on its own. 1 other provision in this corpus refers back to it. 6 instruments name it without being made under it, most recently Appointment of Dr. Abhilaksh Likhi, IAS(HY:91) as Central Registrar of Cooperative Societies (2018), then In The MSCS Rules,2002, in rule 25, in sub-rule (3) (2018).

When did Section 3 of the Multi-State Co-operative Societies Act come into force?

Section 3 of the Multi-State Co-operative Societies Act, cited as Multi-State Co-operative Societies Act 3, came into force on 19 Aug 2002, having been enacted on 03 Jul 2002. It is in force as at the date shown on this page.

Other sections of this Act

Source and method. Compiled from the enactments of Parliament and of the State legislatures as published on India Code, and republished together with commentary and other original matter under section 52(1)(q)(ii) of the Copyright Act, 1957. Structured, cross-referenced and maintained by eCourtsIndia. Text as in force on 16 Oct 2026. This page is not a substitute for legal advice.