DAMAN SINGH & ORS. vs STATE OF PUNJAB & ORS.

The Supreme Court upheld the constitutionality of subsections 8 to 11 of Section 13 of the Punjab Co-operative Societies Act, 1961, which provide for the compulsory amalgamation of co-operative societies. The Court ruled that such legislation does not violate Article 19(1)(c) of the Constitution, as the right to form or join a society is not infringed upon when a society is amalgamated with another. The Court emphasized that co-operative societies are created and governed by statute, thus allowing for statutory interference in their composition. The judgment distinguished the case from Damyanti Naranga v. Union of India, [1971] 3 S.C.R. 840, and affirmed that co-operative societies fall within the definition of 'Corporations' under Article 31-A(1)(c).