Multi-unit Co-operative Societies Act, 1942

Exact source transcription retained, including print layout and extraction artifacts. Text SHA-256: 41b1e6a30f00325455ee795312ed720b4c191eb6cc9b57c36d72aeac5bd79a09.

Page 1 of 4 
 
 
 
 
 
THE MULTI-UNIT CO-OPERATIVE SOCIETIES ACT, 1942 
 
 
  
CONTENTS  
1.  Short title, extent and application 
2.  Co-operative societies to which this Act applies registered before commencement of this Act 
3.  Co-operative societies to which this Act applies registered after commencement of this Act 
3A.  Co-operative Societies to which this Act applies registered in the Federal Capital 
4.  Appointment and powers of Central Register of Co-operative Societies 
5.  Penalty for failure to furnish information required under this Act 
6.  Power of Federal Government to make rules 
 
 

 
Page 2 of 4 
 
THE MULTI-UNIT CO-OPERATIVE SOCIETIES ACT, 1942 
1ACT NO. VI OF 1942 
 [2nd March, 1942] 
An Act to provide for the incorporation, regulation and winding up of co-operative societies with 
objects not confined to one Province. 
WHEREAS it is expedient to provide for the incorporation, regulation and winding up of 
co-operative societies with objects not confined to one Province; 
It is hereby enacted as follows :— 
1. Sho rt title extent and applicat ion.―(1) This Act may be called the Multi -unit 
Co-operative Societies Act, 1942.     
2[(2) It extends to the whole of Pakistan.] 
(3) It applies to all co -operative societies with objects not confined to one Province 
incorporated before the commencement of this Act under the Co-operative Societies Act, 1912, (II of 
1912), or under any Act relating to co -operative societies in force in any Province, and to all 
co-operative societies with objects not confined to one Province to be incorporated after the 
commencement of this Act. 
2. Co-operative societies to which this Act applies registered before commencement of 
this Act .―(1) A co -operative society to which this Act applies which has been registered in any 
Province under the law relating to co -operative societies in force in that Province shall be deemed in 
any other Province to which its objects extend to be duly register ed in that other Province under the 
law there in force relating to co -operative societies, but shall, save as provided in sub -sections (2) 
and (3), be subject for all the purposes of regis tration, control and dissolution to the law relating to 
co-operative societies in force for the time being in the Province in which it is actually registered. 
(2) Where any such co -operative society has established before the commencement of this 
Act or establishes after the commence ment of this Act a branch or place of business in a Province 
other than that in which it is actually registered, it shall, within six months from the commencement 
of this Act or the date of establishment of the branch or place of business, as the case may be, furnish 
the Registrar of Co -operative Societies of the Province in which such branch or place of business is 
situated a copy of its registered bye -laws, and shall at any time it is required to do so by the said 
Registrar submit any returns and supply any information which the said Registrar might require to be 
submitted or supplied to him by a co-operative society actually registered in that Province. 
 
 
1For Statement of Objects and Reasons, see Gazette of India, 1942, Pt. V, p. 17. 
The Act has been applied to Baluchistan, see Notification No. 54-F, dated the 9th April, 1942, Gazette of India, 1942, Pt. I, p. 682. 
It has been extended to the Leased Areas of Baluchistan by the Leased Areas (Laws) Order, 1950 (G. G. O. 3 of 1950). 
2Subs. by the Central Laws (Statute Reform) Ordinance, 1960 (21 of 1960), s. 3 and 2nd Sch. (with effect from the 14th October, 1955), for the original 
sub-section (2), as amended by A. O., 1949. 
 
Page 3 of 4 
 
  (3) The Registrar of Co -operative Societies of the Province in which a branch or place of 
business such as is referred to in sub-section (2) is situated may exercise in respect of that branch or 
place of business any powers of audit and of inspection which he might exercise in respect of a 
co-operative society actually registered in the Province. 
3. Co -operative societies to which this Act applies registered  after commencement of 
this Act.―(1) A society which might, if its objects were confined to one Province, be registered as a 
co-operative society in any Province under the law relating to co -operative societies in force in that 
Province, shall, notwithstanding that its objects are not confined to the Province in which its 
principal place of busi ness is to be situated, be deemed for the purposes of registration as a 
co-operative society to be situated wholly in that Provi nce, and may be registered by the Registrar of 
Co-operative Societies of that Province in accordance with the law relating to co -operative societies 
for the time being in force in that Province, and if so registered shall be deemed in any other 
Province to which its objects extend to be duly registered in that other Province under the law there 
in force relating to co -operative societies but shall, save as provided in sub -sections (2) and (3), be 
subject for all the purposes of registration, control and di ssolution to the law relating to co -operative 
societies in force for the time being in the Province in which it is actually registered. 
(2) Where any such co -operative society establishes a branch or place of business in a 
Province other than that in which  it is actually registered, it shall within six months from the date of 
establishment of the branch or place of business furnish to the Registrar of Co -operative Societies of 
the Province in which such branch or place of business is situated a copy of its registered bye-laws, 
and shall at any time it is required to do so by the said Registrar submit any returns and supply any 
information which the said Registrar might require to be submitted or sup plied to him by a 
co-operative society actually registered in that Province. 
(3) The Registrar of Co -operative Societies of the Province in which a branch or place of 
business such as is referred to in sub -section (2) is situated may exercise in respect of that branch or 
place of business any powers of audit and of inspection which he might exercise in respect of a 
co-operative society actually registered in that Province. 
1[3A. Co -operative S ocieties to which this Act applies registered in the Federal 
Capital.―(1) A society which might, if its objects were confined to the Federal Capital, be 
registered as a co -operative society in the Federal Capital under the law relating to co -operative 
societies in force therein, shall, notwithstanding that its objects are n ot confined to the Federal 
Capital, be deemed for the purpose of registration as a co -operative society to be situated wholly in 
the Federal Capital , and may be registered, in accordance with the law relating to co -operative 
societies for the time being in force in the Federal Capital, by the Registrar of Co-operative Societies 
of the Federal Capital appointed by the Federal Government, and if so registered shall be deemed in 
any Province to which its objects extend to be duly registered in that Province u nder the law there in 
force relating to co -operative societies but shall, save as provided in sub -sections (2) and (3), be 
subject for all the purposes of registration, control and dissolution to the law relating to co -operative 
societies in force for the time being in the Federal Capital, reference in that law to “Registrar” being 
construed as  a reference to the said Registrar of Co -operative Societies appointed by the Federal 
Government. 
 
1Ins. by the Multi-unit Co-operative Societies (Amdt.) Ordinance, 1979 (5 of 1979),s.2. 
 
Page 4 of 4 
 
(2) Where any such co -operative society establishes a branch or place of business in any 
Province, it shall within six months from the date of establishment of the branch or place of business 
furnish to the Registrar of Co -operative Societies of the Province in which such branch or place of 
business is situated a copy of its registered bye -laws, and shall at any time it is required to do so by 
the said Registrar submit any returns and supply any information which the said Registrar migh t 
require to be submitted or supplied to him by a co -operative society actually registered in that 
Province. 
(3) The Registrar of Co -operative Societies of the Province in which a branch or place of 
business such as is referred to in sub -section (2) is situated may exercise in respect of that branch or 
place of business any powers of audit and of inspection which he might exercise in respect of a co -
operative society actually registered in that Province.] 
4. Appointment and powers of Central Registrar of Co -operative Societies .―(1) The 
2[Central] Government may, if it thinks fit, appoint a 2[Central] Registrar of Co-operative Societies. 
(2) The 2[Central] Registrar of Co-operative Societies, if appointed, shall exercise in respect 
of any co -operative society to which this Act applies, to the exclusion of Provincial Registrars, the 
powers and functions exercisable by the Registrar of Co-operative Societies of the Province in which 
such society is actually registered. 
5. Penalty for failure to furnish informat ion required under this Act. If any co-operative 
society fails to furnish the information which it is required to furnish by or under sub -section (2) of 
section 2 or sub-section (2) of section 3, or to submit any return required to be submitted under either 
of those sub -sections, the society, and any officer or member of the society responsible for the 
failure, shall each be liable to fine which may extend to fifty rupees, and the registration of the 
society may, at the discretion of the Registrar of Co -operative Societies of the Province in which the 
society is actually registered, be cancelled. 
6. Power of 1[Federal Government] to make rules .―The 2[Federal] Government may, by 
notification in the official Gazette, make rules for carrying into effect the provisions of this Act. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1Subs by F. A. O., 1975, Art. 2 and Table, for “Central Government”. 
2Subs. for “Central” by pb.A.O.,0.1.00. 1974