Q.In a service co-operative society, the principle followed in voting and control of the society is:

Democratic control is a defining feature of every co-operative, and it is expressed through a specific voting rule that deliberately breaks the link between wealth and control.

Unlike a company, where voting power rises with the number of shares held, a co-operative gives every member exactly one vote regardless of shareholding, so the poorest member has an equal say with the richest.

Why (c) is correct: Democratic management is one of the core principles of co-operation. It is put into practice through the rule of 'one member, one vote' — each member has a single vote in the society's general meeting and in the election of the Managing Committee, irrespective of the number of shares he holds. This ensures that control of the society rests equally with all its members and cannot be captured by a wealthy few.

Why the distractors are wrong:

• (a) 'one share, one vote' and (b) votes in proportion to capital are the rules that apply in a joint-stock company, where voting power grows with the size of the shareholding. Adopting either would let rich members dominate — the exact opposite of the co-operative ideal.
• (d) restricting votes to the largest depositors would again tie control to money, which contradicts the democratic, egalitarian basis of a co-operative.

A frequent error is carrying over the company rule ('one share, one vote') to a co-operative. Remember the sharp contrast: a company ties voting to shares/capital, but a co-operative deliberately gives every member ONE equal vote regardless of how many shares he owns.