(1) Save as otherwise provided in section 378N, the Members who sign the memorandum and the articles may designate therein the Board of Directors, not less than five, who shall govern the affairs of the Producer Company until the directors are elected in accordance with the provisions of this section.
(2) The election of directors shall be conducted within a period of ninety days of the registration of the Producer Company:
Provided that in the case of an inter-State co-operative society which has been registered as a Producer Company under sub-section (4) of section 378J in which at least five directors [including the directors continuing in office under sub-section (1) of section 378N] hold office as such on the date of registration of such company, the provisions of this sub-section shall have effect as if for the words “ninety days”, the words “three hundred and sixty-five days” had been substituted.
(3) Every person shall hold office of a director for a period not less than one year but not exceeding five years as may be specified in the articles.
(4) Every director, who retires in accordance with the articles, shall be eligible for re-appointment as a director.
(5) Save as otherwise provided in sub-section (2), the directors of the Board shall be elected or appointed by the Members in the annual general meeting.
(6) The Board may co-opt one or more expert directors or an additional director not exceeding one-fifth of the total number of directors or appoint any other person as additional director for such period as the Board may deem fit:
Provided that the expert directors shall not have the right to vote in the election of the Chairman but shall be eligible to be elected as Chairman, if so provided by its articles:
Provided further that the maximum period, for which the expert director or the additional director holds office, shall not exceed such period as may be specified in the articles.