In force · As amended up to 2026-08
85. Limitation.— (1) Notwithstanding anything contained in the Limitation Act, 1963 (36 of 1963), but subject to the specific provisions made in this Act, the period of limitation in the case of a dispute referred to arbitration shall, —
(a) when the dispute relates to the recovery of any sum including interest thereon due to a multi-State co-operative society by a member thereof, be computed from the date on which such member dies or ceases to be a member of the society;
(b) save as otherwise provided in clause (c), when the dispute relates to any act or omission on the part of any of the parties referred to in clause (b) or clause (c) or clause (d) of sub-section (1) of section 84, be six years from the date on which the act or omission, with reference to which the dispute arose, took place;
(c) when the dispute is in respect of an election of an officer of a multi-State co-operative society, be one month from the date of the declaration of the result of the election.
(2) The period of limitation in the case of any dispute, except those mentioned in sub-section (1), which are required to be referred to arbitration shall be regulated by the provisions of the Limitation Act, 1963 (36 of 1963), as if the dispute were a suit and the arbitrator a civil court.
(3) Notwithstanding anything contained in sub-sections (1) and (2), the arbitrator may admit a dispute after the expiry of the period of limitation, if the applicant satisfies the arbitrator that he had sufficient cause for not referring the dispute within such period.
1[CHAPTER IXA
REDRESSAL OF COMPLAINTS
2 [85A. Co-operative Ombudsman. — (1) The Central Government shall appoint, one or more Cooperative Ombudsman with territorial jurisdiction for inquiring into the complaints made by any member of the multi-State co-operative societies regarding their deposits, equitable benefits of society's functioning or any other issue affecting the individual rights of the concerned member, in such manner, as may be prescribed.
(2) The Co-operative Ombudsman shall, on receipt of a complaint, complete the process of inquiry and adjudicate within a period of three months from the date of receipt of the complaint and may issue necessary directions to the society during the course of inquiry and the society shall be bound to comply with the same within a period of one month from the date of issuance of such directions.
(3) The multi-State co-operative society aggrieved by any directions of the Ombudsman may file an appeal in such manner as may be prescribed, within a period of one month before the Central Registrar who shall decide the appeal within a period of forty-five days and the decision of the Central Registrar shall be final and binding:
Provided that the Central Registrar may entertain the appeal after the expiry of said period of one month, if he is satisfied that the society was prevented by sufficient cause from preferring the appeal in time.
(4) The Ombudsman shall submit periodic reports to the Central Registrar of Co-operative Societies.
(5) The Co-operative Ombudsman while conducting the inquiry under sub-section (1), shall exercise the same powers as are vested in a civil court under the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908, (5 of 1908)--
(a) for summoning and enforcing the attendance of persons;
(b) examining them on oath;
(c) discovery and production of books of account and other documents; and
(d) any other matter which may be prescribed.]
Source: India Code