Section 48
Section 48
(1)
If any dispute touching the business of a registered society arises —
(a)
among members, past members or persons claiming through members, past members and deceased members;
(b)
between a member, past member or person claiming through a member, past member or deceased member, and the society, its committee members or any officer of the society;
Co-operative Societies
B.L.R.O. 1/2015 41
(c)
between the society or its committee members and any officer of the society; or
(d)
between the society and any other registered society, such disputes shall be referred to the Registrar for decision.
A claim by a registered society for any debt or demand due to it from a member, past member or the nominee, heir or legal representative of a deceased member, shall be deemed to be a dispute touching the business of the society within the meaning of this subsection.
(2)
The Registrar may, on receipt of a reference under subsection (1) —
(a)
decide the dispute himself;
(b)
refer it for disposal to an arbitrator or arbitrators; or
(c)
require the parties to the dispute to refer the dispute to a court.
(3)
Any party aggrieved by the award of an arbitrator or arbitrators may appeal therefrom to the Registrar within such period and in such manner as may be prescribed.
(4)
A decision of the Registrar under subsection (2) or on appeal under subsection (3) shall be final and shall not be called in question in any legal proceedings whatsoever.
(5)
The award of the arbitrator or arbitrators under subsection (2)
shall, if no appeal is preferred to the Registrar under subsection (3), or if any such appeal is abandoned or withdrawn, be final and shall not be called in question in any legal proceedings whatsoever and shall be enforced in the same manner as if the award had been a judgment of a court.