84. Reference of disputes.—(1) Notwithstanding anything contained in any other law for the time
being in force, if any dispute [other than a dispute regarding disciplinary action taken by a multi-State
co-operative society against its paid employee or an industrial dispute as defined in clause (k) of section 2
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of the Industrial Disputes Act, 1947 (14 of 1947)] touching the constitution, management or business of a
multi-State co-operative society arises—
(a) among members, past members and persons claiming through members, past members and
deceased members, or
(b) between a member, past members and persons claiming through a member, past member or
deceased member and the multi-State co-operative society, its board or any officer, agent or employee
of the multi-State co-operative society or liquidator, past or present, or
(c) between the multi-State co-operative society or its board and any past board, any officer,
agent or employee, or any past officer, past agent or past employee, heirs or legal representatives of
any deceased officer, deceased agent or deceased employee of the multi-State co-operative society, or
(d) between the multi-State co-operative society and any other multi-State co-operative society,
between a multi-State co-operative society and liquidator of another multi-State co-operative society
or between the liquidator of one multi-State co-operative society and the liquidator of another
multi-State co-operative society,
such dispute shall be referred to arbitration.
(2) For the purposes of sub-section (1), the following shall be deemed to be disputes touching the
constitution, management or business of a multi-State co-operative society, namely:—
(a) a claim by the multi-State co-operative society for any debt or demand due to it from a
member or the nominee, heirs or legal representatives of a deceased member, whether such debt or
demand be admitted or not;
(b) a claim by a surety against the principal debtor where the multi-State co-operative society has
recovered from the surety any amount in respect of any debt or demand due to it from the principal
debtor as a result of the default of the principal debtor, whether such debt or demand is admitted or
not;
(c) any dispute arising in connection with the election of any officer of a multi-State co-operative
society.
(3) If any question arises whether a dispute referred to arbitration under this section is or is not a
dispute touching the constitution, management or business of a multi-State co-operative society, the
decision thereon of the arbitrator shall be final and shall not be called in question in any court.
(4) Where a dispute has been referred to arbitration under sub-section (1), the same shall be settled or
decided by the arbitrator to be appointed by the Central Registrar.
(5) Save as otherwise provided under this Act, the provisions of the Arbitration and Conciliation
Act, 1996 (26 of 1996) shall apply to all arbitration under this Act as if the proceedings for arbitration
were referred for settlement or decision under the provisions of the Arbitration and Conciliation Act,
1996.
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.
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(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.