Society Registration in Telangana
Contributed by: Neha Kujur
Email id: neha@simplybiz.in
Introduction
In the realm of community development and social welfare, the establishment of societies stands as a cornerstone for collective action, empowerment, and sustainable progress. Societies, often formed by groups of like-minded individuals with shared objectives, serve as vehicles for enacting positive change, addressing common challenges, and fostering inclusive growth within communities.
At the heart of these endeavors lies the process of society registration, a crucial step towards formalizing organizational structures, gaining legal recognition, and unlocking a myriad of opportunities for impactful interventions. Whether aiming to uplift marginalized groups, promote education, advocate for environmental conservation, or facilitate economic empowerment, the journey of society registration marks the genesis of a journey towards societal transformation.
In this comprehensive guide, we delve into the intricacies of society registration, offering insights, practical advice, and essential steps for navigating this pivotal process in Telangana. From understanding the legal framework and eligibility criteria to preparing documentation, fulfilling regulatory requirements, and beyond, we aim to demystify the path towards establishing a registered society, empowering grassroots initiatives to thrive and flourish.
Objectives of forming a Society
- As per the law, a society is defined as an association of a varied number of individuals coming together for a mutual accord to “deliberate, govern, and act” in a cooperative way, for a communal purpose. You may have come across several societies that are registered for advancing charitable activities such as music, culture, art, religion, sports, education and more.
- Society registration is a legal process through which a group of people can create a legal entity to fulfill a specific objective. Societies are registered under the Societies Registration Act, 1860, which is an Indian law that governs the registration of societies. Registering as a society provides it with legal recognition and protection. It also enables a society to enter contracts, hold property, and sue or be sued in its name.
According to Section 3 of THE TELANGANA SOCIETIES REGISTRATION ACT, 2001, a society can be registered for the purpose of promotion of arts, fine arts, charity, crafts, religion, sports (excluding games of chance), literature, culture, science, political education, philosophy or diffusion of any knowledge or any public purpose may be registered under this act.
Benefits Of Society Registration
a) Legal Recognition and Protection- A registered Society has the right to impose legal proceedings in court when the need arises.
b) Ability to enter into contracts and hold property- Society the rights to sell, lease, buy, rent, or sell any property in its own name.
c) Ability to raise funds and seek grants- A registered Society can hold an account in an authorized bank in its own name. A registered Society has the privilege to collect and accumulate funds from external sources.
d) Separate Legal Entity- the society is considered to be a separate legal entity after the registration is complete. Regardless of the change in the membership, the Society, once registered, always remains a separate legal entity.
f) No personal liabilities on members- no single member of society will be personally responsible for the society’s debt, liabilities or its obligation. But in case of deliberate fraudulent actions on behalf of the members, they will be held responsible for the same.
| A GUIDE TO THE TELANGANA SOCIETIES REGISTRATION ACT, 2001 | |
| The Table below highlights the important points of the Act | |
| Basis | Particulars |
| Extension | Whole state of Telangana |
| Members | means a person, individual or body corporate, who/which, having been admitted to membership in any society. Minimum No. members- 7 No limit on maximum number of memebers |
| Officer | includes any Director, Manager, Treasurer, Trustee, Secretary, member of the Committee, or any person appointed by a society to sue and be sued on its behalf and any other person empowered under the rules or the bye-laws to give directions in regard to the business of a society |
| Objectives | Any seven (7) or more persons forming a society which has for its object the promotion of art, fine art, charity, crafts, religion, sports (excluding games of chance), literature, culture, science, political education, philosophy or diffusion of any knowledge or any public purpose may be registered under this Act. |
| MOA | The Charter Document of the Society containing: (i) the name of the society; (ii) the aims and objects of the society; (iii) the names, addresses and occupations of the members of the committee |
| Bye-Laws | The document contains the rules and regulations for the internal control and working of a society which shall contain the provisions in respect to the following matters: (i) identity of the society which includes name, address and particulars of the society; (ii) activities of the society; (iii) membership of the society i.e., eligibility, admission, withdrawal and termination etc.; (iv) General body which contains the manner of meetings to be held or convened, quorum, functions and responsibilities etc.; (v) office bearers and their appointment/election/ removal/recall and their responsibilities etc.; (vi) finances which includes types of funds to be raised, appointment of auditors, liability of members, for discharge of debts etc.; and (vii) other matters which covers the internal matters of settlement of internal disputes, dissolution of the society etc., |
I. Committee of the Society:
- Every Society shall elect a Committee, consisting of not less than 3 members.
(to be elected by the majority of members at the annual general body meeting) - Term of Committee members- not exceeding 6 years
(eligible for re-election if so permitted by the bye-laws). - Quorum shall be half of total members for the General Body Meetings and 1/4th for Executive Committee Meetings.
II. Functions of the Executive Body and Office Bearers:
- PRESIDENT: He Presides over all the meeting of the both General Body and Executive Committee, he can cast his vote in case of tie. He can supervise all the branches of the society.
- VICE PRESIDENT: He shall assist the president in discharging his duties in the absence of the President he shall perform the duty of the President as entrusted by him.
- SECRETARY: He is their Executive Officer of the society and custodian to all records relating to the society and correspondent on behalf of the society. He has to take on records of all minutes of the society to convey both the bodies of the society with the permission of the President. He guide the treasurer in preparing the budget and expenditure statement of the Society.
- JOINT SECRETARY: He has to do the work entrusted by the executive committee. He has to assist the Secretary in discharging his duties, in the absence of the secretary, he can perform the duties of the Secretary.
- TREASURER: He is responsible for all-financial transactions and funds of the society. He has to maintain accounts properly along with the vouchers he has to prepare the accounts of the society jointly with the Secretary or President.
- OFFICE BEARERS: They are the responsible person to attend to such activities of the Society Which the Executive Committee entrust to them.
III. Disqualification of the member of the Committee:
A person shall be disqualified for appointment as a member of the Committee of a society under this Act if, on the date of such appointment, he is-
(a) not a major;
(b) of unsound mind and stands so declared by a competent court;
(c) an applicant to be adjudicated as an insolvent or is an undischarged insolvent;
(d) convicted of an offence involving moral turpitude or sentenced by a criminal court to a fine of not less than rupees one thousand or to imprisonment for a period of not less than six months; and
(e) disqualified for such an appointment by an order of a court.
IV. Meetings:
The Bye-laws of the shall specify the frequency and manner in which the Committee and General Bosy shall be held, but however,
- The Executive Committee shall meet at least once in 3 months.
- The General Body shall meet at least once a year.
V. Minutes:
- Every society shall record in the minutes book, the minutes of all proceedings of every General Body meeting and also every meeting of its Committee.
- Such minutes shall be communicated to all the members invited for the meeting within thirty days of the conclusion of the meeting.
- The minutes so recorded shall be signed by the person who chaired the said meeting.
VI. Compliances/ Online Intimations to the Registrar:
| S.No. | Particulars | Timelines | Frequency |
| 1. | Register of members of the Committee showing names, address and occupation | Within 14 days from the date of election of the members of the first Committee | Once |
| 2. | Annual List of members of the Managing Committee and Officers (entrusted with the management and affairs of the Company) containing their names and addresses | Within 15 days from the date of the date on which the Annual General Body meeting was held. | yearly |
| 3. | A notice of every change in the members of the Committee | Within 14 days from the date of such change | Event based |
| 4. | Intimation of the place of registered office of the Society | From the day it begin its functioning or as from the 28th day of its registration, whichever is earlier | Once |
| 5. | Change in registered office within the district | Within 28 days from such event | Event based |
| 6. | Change in registered office outside the district in which it is registered, the intimation to be send to both the Registrar of both the Districts | Within 28 days of such event | Event based |
| 7. | Filing of Accounts | yearly |
VII. Books and Records:
| S.No. | Particulars |
| 1. | Register of Members |
| 2. | An updated copy of the Act |
| 3. | An updated copy of Memorandum |
| 4. | An updated copy of Bye-laws |
| 5. | Minutes Book (Committee Meetings and Annual General Body Meetings) |
| 6. | Accounts of all sums of money received and expended by the society |
| 7. | Accounts of all purchases and sales of goods by the society |
| 8. | Accounts of assets and liabilities of the societies |
| 9. | Updated register of members of voting rights for the current year prepared within 30 days of closure of the society’s financial year |
| 10. | Copies of the Audit Report (if any) and compliance report |
| 11. | Register of Mortgages and charges |
VIII. Registration Process of Societies:
| Service Delivery Channels | Online Portals Govt Centers |
| Service Timings | Online Portal: 24Hours Franchisee Govt Centres: 9:00 AM to 7:00 PM |
| Service Payment Modes | Portal: Online Franchisee Govt Centers: Cash/T-Wallet/cheque/DD/Card Payments |
VIII (a) Before filing an online form, the following documents are required (original and in scanned)
- Copy of Memorandum
(signed by atleast seven (7) members who are majors and who shall add their addresses, description and occupation, if any, in the presence of atleast two witnesses who shall also be majors and who shall attest with their signatures and add their addresses, description and occupation) - Bye-Laws
(signed by the signatories to the memorandum of association.) - Signed Declaration
- Society related Documents (Address proof, lease dead, etc.)
VIII (b) Filing of Form online for Society Registration
- Visit the portal: https://tsstaging.meeseva.telangana.gov.in/meesevastaging/home.htm
- Fill in the relevant details in the Form Click here for Online Application Form
- Uploading of Scanned Documents
- Payment of Fees
VIII (c) Fee Details
| SERVICE NAME | SERVICE FEE | USER CHARGES |
| SOCIETY REGISTRATION | 2000/- | 45/- |
| CERTIFIED COPY OF BYELAW | 1000/- | 35/- |
| CERTIFIED COPY OF SOCIETY | 1000/- | 35/- |
| FILLING OF AMENDMENT | 1000/- | 45/- |
VIII (d) After submitting online application of Society, the following documents in original shall be submitted in District Registrar’s Office
- Acknowledgment containing reference number
- Memorandum of Society
- Rules and Regulations
- ID Proof of Executive Committee Members
- Address proof of Executive Committee Members
- Passport Size photographs of all Executive Committee Members
- Registered lease agreement if office is in rented premises or Declaration if office is in own premises and no rent is collected from Society Citizen must submit all original papers either by courier/RPAD or handover in person in the concerned District Registrar Office quoting online application reference number.
VIII (e) Procedure at the District Registrar Office
The application and the original documents submitted, then shall pass through the verification process by Senior Assistant.
- On successful verification and recommendations provided by the Senior Assistant, the District Registrar will give the approval for the registration of Society.
- In case of verification being unsuccessful, the applicant will be directed to make necessary changes to the application.
VIII (f) Timelines:
| S.No. | Particulars | No. of days |
| 1. | Certificate issued by the Registrar | Within 3 days from the date of original application and other connected documents, if everything is in order or further information/documents will be required by the District Registrar for completion of registration. |
| 2. | Appeal to the Registrar General in case the Registrar refuses to register a Society | 60 days from the communication of refusal of registration. |
| 3. | Delivery of the Certificate | Within 7 working days of the approval |
| 4. | Total time for the entire process | 2-3 months |
VIII (g) Expected Expenses:
| S.No. | Particulars | Amount |
| One-Time Expense | ||
| 1. | Society Registration fees | ₹ 30,000/- approx. |
| Other Expenses (annually) | ||
| 2. | Filing of annual returns and other event-based compliances | ₹ 300/- filing |
| 3. | Audit Fee | ₹ 10,000/- approx. |
SimplySet-up is a one stop solution for the ones who are looking for setting up societies in Telangana. For further enquiries reach out to our Product Head – Ms. Geetanjli Aggarwal at the mail ID geetanjali@simplybiz.in or Simplysetup@simplybiz.in or +91 8121011571.
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