Short Answer

Yes, under the Gujarat Cooperative Societies Act, 1961, certain committee seats are reserved for specific categories like women and other marginalized groups.

Detailed Explanation

Section 73BB of the Gujarat Cooperative Societies Act, 1961 states that in the case of cooperative societies having a committee consisting of more than five members, at least one seat shall be reserved for a woman member. This provision aims to promote gender diversity and inclusion in the decision-making process of cooperative societies. In practice, during the election of committee members, one seat must be specifically allocated for a woman candidate, ensuring their representation and participation in the governance of the society.

Furthermore, Rule 56 of the Gujarat Cooperative Societies Rules, 1965 elaborates on the reservation of seats for women in cooperative society committees. The rule specifies that the election process should ensure the reservation of one seat for a woman member in societies with a committee size exceeding five members. This rule ensures compliance with the legal requirement of providing adequate representation to women in cooperative society committees.

Practical Examples

• In a cooperative society with a committee of seven members, during the election process, one seat must be reserved for a woman candidate as per Section 73BB of the Act.

• If a cooperative society has a committee of six members, the election process should still reserve one seat for a woman member as mandated by Rule 56 of the Rules.

• Suppose a cooperative society fails to reserve a seat for a woman member in the committee. In that case, it would be considered a violation of the legal provisions, leading to potential legal consequences and challenges to the legitimacy of the committee.

References

• Section 73BB of the Gujarat Cooperative Societies Act, 1961: Official PDF

• Rule 56 of the Gujarat Cooperative Societies Rules, 1965: Official PDF