The Maharashtra government is set to introduce revised Model Bylaws for Cooperative Housing Societies within the next two months, aiming to align society governance with the state’s newly notified housing society rules and the changing landscape of residential development.
The overhaul comes as the existing model bylaws, framed in 2014, no longer adequately address the operational needs of high-rise residential complexes and integrated townships, which have emerged as the dominant form of urban housing over the past decade.
According to officials from the Cooperation Department, the revised bylaws will provide a comprehensive operating framework for cooperative housing societies, covering issues such as parking allocation and charges, maintenance of common amenities and individual units, management of common areas, society finances, membership, and dispute resolution.
A committee headed by Deputy Registrar Rajesh Lovekar has been tasked with preparing the revised bylaws.
Officials said the recently notified housing society rules establish the legal framework under the Maharashtra Cooperative Societies Act, 1960, while the model bylaws will translate those provisions into day-to-day operational guidelines for societies and their managing committees.
The revised bylaws will also define provisions relating to share capital, fund mobilisation and utilisation, statutory audits, maintenance of accounts, leakages and repair responsibilities, and other administrative procedures.
Ashwini Bulakh of Sahakar Bharati Housing Cell, Maharashtra, said the revised bylaws should be notified at the earliest to ensure the smooth implementation of the new regulatory framework.
“Rules alone are not enough. The revised model bylaws should be notified without delay so that housing societies, managing committees and members have clear and practical guidelines for implementing the new provisions,” Bulakh said.
Officials clarified that the model bylaws will serve as a guiding framework and will not be mandatory. Cooperative housing societies may adopt their own bylaws, provided they receive approval from the general body and the Registrar, who can reject any provisions that conflict with the Act or the notified rules.
Maharashtra is home to more than 1.25 lakh cooperative housing societies, including over 60,000 societies across the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR).
The state last month notified a comprehensive set of rules for cooperative housing societies, introducing standardised maintenance and service charges, capping interest on delayed dues at 12% annually, limiting non-occupancy charges to 10% of service charges, and streamlining procedures for nomination, succession and governance. The rules also permit virtual general body meetings, mandate annual training for office-bearers, and strengthen the accountability of managing committees.
Source: Hindustan Times
