(1) Where the Registrar is satisfied that it is essential in the public interest, or in order to secure the proper management of one or more co-operative banks that two or more such banks should be amalgamated, then notwithstanding anything contained in section 17, the Registrar may, after consulting such federal society or other authority as may be notified by the State Government in the Official Gazette, by order provide for the amalgamation of those banks into a single bank, with such constitution, property, rights, interests and authorities, and such liabilities, duties and obligations as may be specified in the order. Such order may provide for the reduction of the interest or rights which the members, depositors, creditors, employees and other persons may have in or against any bank to be amalgamated to such extent as the Registrar considers necessary in the interest of such persons for the maintenance of the business of that bank, having due regard to the proportion of the assets of such bank, to its liabilities. Such order may also contain such incidental, consequential and supplemental provisions as may, in the opinion of the Registrar, be necessary to give effect to the amalgamation of the banks:
4[Provided that, such notified federal society or other authority shall communicate its opinion to the Registrar within a period of forty-five days from the date of receipt of communication, failing which it shall be presumed that such notified federal society or other authority has no objection to the scheme of amalgamation and the Registrar shall be at liberty to proceed further to take action accordingly.]
(2) No order shall be made under sub-section (1), unless—
(a) a copy of the proposed order has been sent in draft to each of the banks concerned ;
(b) the Registrar has considered and made such modifications in the draft order as may seem to him desirable in the light of any suggestions or objections which may be received by him within such period (not being less than two months from the date on which the copy of the proposed order was received by the banks) as the Registrar may fix in that behalf, either from the banks or any members, depositors, creditors, employees or other persons concerned;
5[(c) the Registrar has obtained the prior approval of the Reserve Bank of India.]
(3) On the issue of an order under sub-section (1), notwithstanding anything contained in this Act or in any law for the time being in force or in any contract, award or other instruments for the time being in force, the provisions thereof shall be binding on all banks and their members, depositors, creditors, employees and other persons having any rights, assets or liabilities in relation to all or any of the banks concerned.
(4) Notwithstanding anything contained in the Transfer of Property Act, 1882 (IV of 1882) or the Registration Act, 1908 (XVI of 1908), the order issued under sub-section (1) shall be sufficient conveyance for transfer or vesting the rights, assets and liabilities of the banks concerned as provided in the order.
(5) The amalgamation of banks under this section shall not affect any rights or obligations of the banks so amalgamated or render defective any legal proceedings which might have been continued or commenced by or against any such banks; and accordingly, such legal proceedings may be continued or commenced by or against the amalgamated bank.
(6) Where two or more banks have been amalgamated, the registration of the bank in which the other banks are amalgamated may be continued and the registration of the other banks may be cancelled, or where the amalgamated bank is newly registered, the registration of all the amalgamating banks shall be cancelled.
(7) Any order made by the Registrar under this section shall be final and conclusive, and shall not be called in question in any Court.]
1 Sub-section (6) was added by Mah. 5 of 1976, s. 2.
2 These words were substituted for the words “two or more co-operative banks” by Mah. 4 of 1977, s. 2.
3 Section 18A was inserted by Mah. 5 of 1976, s. 3.
4 This proviso was added by Mah. 16 of 2013, s. 9(a).
5 Clause (c) was added by Mah. 16 of 2013, s. 9(b).
26 The Maharashtra Co-operative Societies Act, 1960 [1961 : Mah. XXIV 1[18B. Amalgamation of primary agricultural credit societies.— (1) Where the Registrar is satisfied that it is essential—
(a) for ensuring economic viability of one or more primary agricultural credit societies;
(b) for avoiding overlapping or conflict of jurisdictions of such societies in any area;
(c) in order to secure the proper management of one or more such societies;
(d) in the interest of the credit structure or co-operative movement in the State as a whole;
(e) in the interest of the depositors; or
(f) for any other reason in the public interest, that two or more primary agricultural credit societies should be amalgamated, then notwithstanding anything contained in section 17, the Registrar may, after consulting such federal society or other authority as may be notified by the State Government in this behalf, by order published in the Official Gazette, provide for the amalgamation of those societies into a single society. The constitution, property, rights, interest, and authorities and the liabilities, duties and obligations of the amalgamated society shall be such as may be specified in the order. Such order may provide for the reduction of the interest or rights which the members, depositors, creditors, employees and other persons may have in, or against, any society to be amalgamated to such extent as the Registrar considers necessary in the interest of such persons for the maintenance of the business of that society, having due regard to the proportion of the assets of such society, to its liabilities. Such order may also contain such incidental, consequential and supplemental provisions as may, in the opinion of the Registrar, be necessary to give effect to the amalgamation of the societies:
2[Provided that, such notified federal society or the other authority shall communicate its opinion to the Registrar within a period of forty-five days from the date of receipt of communication, failing which it shall be presumed that such notified federal society or other authority has no objection to the scheme of amalgamation and the Registrar shall be at liberty to proceed further to take action accordingly.]
(2) No order shall be made under sub-section (1), unless—
(a) a copy of the proposed order has been sent in draft to each of the societies concerned;
(b) the Registrar has considered and made such modifications in the draft order as may seem to him desirable in the light of any suggestions or objections which may be received by him within such period (not being less than two months from the date on which the copy of the proposed order was received by the societies) as the Registrar may fix in that behalf, either from the societies or any members, depositors, creditors, employees or other persons concerned.
(3) When any order is made by the Registrar under sub-section (1), the provisions of sub-sections
(3) to (7) (both inclusive) of section 18-A shall, mutatis mutandis, apply to such order, in the same manner as they are applicable to any order made by him under sub-section (1) of that section.]