Co-operative Societies Act 1996 (No. 15 of 1996).

The Act consists of 243 sections divided into 17 Parts: Preliminary (I); Administration (II); Membership and meetings (III); Management (IV); Financing (V); Business of society (VI); Property and funds of the society (VII); Financial disclosure and audit (VIII); Reconstruction of Societies (IX); Receivers and receiver-managers (X); Dissolution (XI); Investigations (XII); Disputes (XIII); Specialised Societies (XIV); APEX body (XV); Offences (XVI); Miscellaneous (XVII). Section 3 defines a society conform the cooperative principles. There shall be a Commissioner of Cooperatives who shall be responsible for registration of cooperative societies, promote cooperative societies and supervise them (sect. 5). Section 10 concerns the by-laws of cooperative societies. Conditions for registration are set out in section 12. Disputes between members, cooperative societies and third parties shall be resolved in principal by the Commissioner or an arbitrator and may be appealed against with the Co-operative Societies Appeal Tribunal established under section 188. Registered societies may establish an Apex body for coordination under section 215.