73BBB. Reservation of seats on committees of societies for women members and elections thereto.- (1) Notwithstanding anything contained in this Act, or in the rules made thereunder, or in the bye-laws of any society, there shall be reserved seats for women on the committee of each society to represent the women members in the following manner, namely:- (a) one seat on the committee consisting of not more than 9 committee members; (b) two seats on the committee consisting of 10 or more, but not exceeding 19 committee members; and (c) three seats on the committee consisting of 20 or more committee members.
Explanation:-For the purpose of determining the number of committee members under this sub-section, committee members who are elected, co-opted, nominated, appointed or otherwise occupying the position on the committee under section 73B, 73BB and under this sub-section shall not be included.
(2) The reserved seats referred to in sub-section (1) shall be in addition to the strength of the members of the committee of a society:
Provided that, where the bye-laws of a society provide for reservation of seats for women on the committee thereof, the total number of seats to be so reserved for women shall be equal to the number of seats specified in sub-section (1).
(3) Any individual woman member of the society, or any woman member of the committee of a member society, whether elected, co-opted or appointed, shall be eligible to contest the election to a reserved seat on a committee of a society and every person who is entitled to vote at the election of the committee shall be entitled to vote at the election to any such reserved seat;
(4) Where no woman member or, as the case may be, women members are elected to the reserved seats, then,-
(a) in the case of a society other than a society mentioned in clauses (b) and (c), the Chief Executive Officer such as the Chairman, Secretary or Manager or any other Officer, by whatever designation called (hereinafter in this section collectively referred to as "the Chairman");
(b) in the case of a society notified under section 73-IC, the Registrar; and
(c) in the case of a society specified under section 73G, the collector; shall call a meeting of the elected members of the committee to co-opt a woman member or, as the case may be, women members on the committee from amongst the persons entitled to contest the election under sub-section (3), and such meeting shall be presided over by the Chairman, if it is a society referred to in clause (a), or by the Registrar or any other officer authorised by him, if it is a notified society or by the Collector or any other officer authorised by him, if it is a specified society. If no woman member is co-opted at such meeting, the Chairman or the Collector or, where the meeting is presided over by an officer authorised by the Registrar or the Collector, such officer, as the case may be, shall, within a period of seven days from the date of such meeting, report the fact to the Registrar, and thereupon the Registrar shall, within a period of seven days from the date of receipt of such report by him, or where the Registrar himself has presided over such meeting, within a period of seven days from the date of such meeting, appoint on the committee a woman member or women members, as the case may be, from the amongst the women members entitled to contest the election to the reserved seats under subsection (3).
(5) Nothing in this section shall apply to a committee of any society which exclusively of men members, or as the case may be, of woman members. (6) Where election to the committee of any society has been held without holding election to such additional reserved seats or where election to such additional reserved seat could not be held on or before the 30th September 1992 on account of any directions issued under section 157, then unless the process for election to the committee including such additional reserved seats for women members has already commenced, or election to the committee is or will be due and will be held after the commencement of the Maharashtra Co-operative Societies (Amendment) Act, 1992, such additional reserved seats of the committee shall be filled in by co-option of women members by the committee of the society. (7) Notwithstanding anything contained in sub-section (6), no election to such additional reserved seats shall be held where the term of the committee of society is to expire within six months from the date of the commencement of the Maharashtra Co-operative Societies (Amendment) Act, 1991.
(8) The term of office of such women members elected, co-opted or as the case may be, appointed on a committee, shall be co-terminus with the term of the committee as provided under the bye-laws of the society and at the time of every fresh election thereafter election shall be held to the additional reserved seats for women members in accordance with the provisions of this section.
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