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Online Society Registration in India - An Overview

A Society can be referred to as an association of multiple individuals with a common interest. The group of individuals focus on governing and taking initiative for achieving a common goal. The Society Registration Act, 1860 in India governs the Society Registration and the functioning process. According to the aforementioned laws, the societies are registered and run to advance the humanities, sciences, literature, or knowledge exchange for a good cause or with a goal. In order to function effectively a society must register.

Reason for Society Registration

  • To support arts
  • Political education dissemination
  • To make a donation to a charitable trust
  • Promotion of literature and science
  • Establishing funds for military orphans
  • Building public museums
  • Construction of public galleries
  • Establishing libraries
  • Promotion, dissemination, or instruction of knowledge that is useful
  • Natural history museum collections
  • Assemblages of mechanical and philosophical designs, creations, or tools.

Documents Required for Online Society Registration

  • PAN cards of each and every member of the society
  • Account statement
  • Utility Bill, driving license, and aadhaar card
  • Passport
  • Articles of Association (AoA)
  • Terms and conditions of the society
  • Guidelines to join the society
  • Address proof
  • Information of all the participant

Purpose of Society Registration

The purpose of society registration is to create a legal entity that can own property, enter into contracts, and sue or be sued. A society is a voluntary association of people who come together for a common purpose. The Memorandum of Association (MOA) is a document that sets out the purpose of the society, its rules and regulations, and the powers of its members.

The main purposes of society registration are:

  • To give the society a legal personality: This means that the society can own property, enter into contracts, and sue or be sued in its own name.
  • To provide a framework for the society's operations: The MOA sets out the rules and regulations for the society's operations, such as how it will be managed and how its members will be elected.
  • To protect the interests of the society's members: The MOA also protects the interests of the society's members by setting out their rights and responsibilities.

Memorandum of Association

The MOA must be filed with the Registrar of Societies in the state where the society is located. The Registrar of Societies is a government official who is responsible for registering societies and ensuring that they comply with the law.
The MOA must contain the following information:

  • The name of the society
  • The purpose of the society
  • The address of the society's registered office
  • The names and addresses of the society's founding members
  • The rules and regulations of the society
  • The rules and regulations of the society

The MOA can be amended by the society's members, but any amendment must be filed with the Registrar of Societies.
Here are some of the benefits of society registration:

  • It gives the society a legal personality, which allows it to own property, enter into contracts, and sue or be sued in its own name.
  • It provides a framework for the society's operations, which can help to avoid disputes and ensure that the society is managed effectively.
  • It protects the interests of the society's members by setting out their rights and responsibilities.
  • It can make it easier for the society to obtain funding and other resources.

If you are considering forming a society, it is important to consult with an attorney to ensure that you comply with the law and that your MOA is properly drafted.

How to Check Online Status of Society Registration?

There are two main ways to check the online status of society registration:

Through the website of the Registrar of Societies (ROS)

The ROS is the government body responsible for registering societies in India. Each state or union territory has its own ROS. To check the online status of society registration, you can visit the website of the ROS for your state or union territory.

On the website, you will need to provide the name of the society and its registration number. Once you have provided this information, you will be able to see the status of the society registration.

Through a third-party website

There are a number of third-party websites that offer services to check the online status of society registration. These websites typically charge a fee for their services.

To use a third-party website, you will need to provide the name of the society and its registration number. Once you have provided this information, the website will retrieve the status of the society registration from the ROS website.

Online Society Registration

The online society registration has to be completed in a step-by-step manner as described by the Act. The following requirements must be met in order for a society to be registered:

  • Members: A state society must have at least seven members, and it must have at least eight members from at least eight distinct states (including one from Delhi)
  • Jurisdiction: Wherever the society's registered office is located is the applicable jurisdiction. in front of the district registrar for that specific region.
  • Regulating Act: The Societies Registration Act of 1986 governs the Society registration process
  • Property management: Property management: The property of the registered society is owned in its name and may be sold in accordance with the conditions outlined in its byelaws.
  • Dissolution: In case of dissolution the registered society has to wind up all the debts and liabilities and should donate the remaining funds to other societies having a similar objective. The fun will never be shared among the members
  • Executive committee: It comprises of a president, secretary, treasurer, and a vice president
  • Annual Compliance: Societies are required to submit an annual list of the names, addresses, and jobs held by members of their managing committee to the Registrar of Societies.

Society Compliances Post Registration

Following society registration, a trust must take the following actions:

  • Acquire a PAN card
  • Establish a bank account
  • Accounting and bookkeeping
  • Yearly IT filings
  • GST registration, if applicable; professional tax registration, if required
  • Observing the Registrar of Firm's requirements - AGM resolution, financial information, and a member list must all be filed with the Registrar of Firms.

Applicability of Tax Exemption

There is a prevalent belief that because society works for the wellbeing of the general population, it is not necessary for them to pay taxes. This is not the case. Taxes must be paid by a society, just like any other legitimate enterprise. A society needs a certificate of completion from the income tax officials for all applicable exclusions, like Section 12 A, 80G, etc., in order to be exempt from paying taxes.

Society Registration Renewal Online

The process for renewing a society registration online may vary depending on the country or state where the society is registered. However, the general steps to follow are:

  • Before starting the renewal process, make sure to check the deadline for renewal. Most societies are required to renew their registration annually or bi-annually
  • Gather all the necessary documents, such as the original registration certificate, bylaws, and minutes of the annual general meeting. You may also need to prepare a list of current office bearers
  • Most government authorities have an online registration portal where you can renew your society registration
  • Log in to the portal using your society's credentials
  • Provide all the required details, like the name, registration number, and office details
  • Submit all the documents in the required format and size
  • Pay the renewal fee using the online payment options available on the portal
  • Review the application and submit it
  • You can track the application status anytime online on the official website.

It is always requested to start the renewal process well before the deadline to avoid any last-minute delays or issues.

Why Vakilsearch?

A thorough consultation will be provided to fully grasp all your needs and walk you through the entire process of Online Society Registration Certificate. We will provide you with all the papers required to be submitted for society registration online, and we'll keep you updated on its development. We assist you with all Society registration-related steps and procedures. Your every step of the way will be guided by our experts. You won't need to be present in person for the process because attorneys will fill out all the paperwork and submit the online application of Society Registration on your behalf. Your work is secure with us, and so are your data. Any questions you may have can be answered by our support staff.

FAQs on Online Society Registration India

Foreigners, Company, Partnership Firm, and Registered Society are eligible for society registration.
The main components of a MoA of a society include:
  • The name of the society
  • The purpose or objectives of the society
  • Details of the members of the society, which should include at least seven names along with their addresses
  • Information on the registered office of the society
  • The members of a society will have the following rights:
  • The right to vote
  • The right to receive notices and copies of the bye-laws
  • The right to receive a statement of accounts
  • The right to attend the general meeting of the society
  • To change the name of a society in the process of society registration, the following procedure must be followed:
  • Convene a general meeting to discuss the name change
  • Pass a resolution on the name change with the approval of the majority of members
  • Submit a notice of the name change signed by the secretary and members of the society to the registrar.
  • According to Section 14 of the Society Registration Act, 1860, members are not entitled to receive any profits.
    For an educational society registration, the founding members must first agree on a name for the society, and then prepare a Memorandum of Association (MOA) followed by the rules and regulations of the society.
    Just reach out to our experts at Vakilsearch. We will complete the whole process in just a few steps. Manually you can submit a letter with a request for society registration that is endorsed by each founding member. Make sure to submit the duplicates of the society's rules and regulations that have been duly signed by all of the founding members, as well as duplicate and verified copies of the organisation's Memorandum of Association (MOA)
    1% of settlement deeds in Tamil Nadu are registered. Additionally, you will be credible for spending stamp duty and enrollment fees. Registration costs are 1% of the property's market value with a maximum of ₹4000 and stamp duty is 1% of the property's market value with a maximum of ₹25,000.
    Family members are not allowed to be socially active. If the trust agreement doesn't specify differently, trustees often keep the role for their entire lives.
    A society, as opposed to a trust, has a more democratic structure with members and an elected body to run the society. As long as they are voted to the managing committee, the founding members of a society can continue to be in charge, but they also have the option to leave the society at any moment, unlike trustees.
    The ‘Registered Societies’ are co-operative societies that conduct their operations for the benefit of their members and share earnings with them. Businesses that are operated for the benefit of the larger community and reinvest revenues in the community are known as community benefit societies.
    Every society has the legal authority to bring claims against any individual or member since it exists as a separate legal entity from its members. Similar to this, the society may also be the target of lawsuits. Even if it is not enrolled in that particular state, the registered society is permitted to file a lawsuit there.
    The society's registration is unaffected by this, and the FCA Mutuals Public Register should be consulted to verify registration. Directors exist in societies. In their bylaws, some societies will refer to ‘directors’ ; some people could refer to the directors as ‘committee members’ or ‘trustees’.
    The Telangana Societies Registration Act, 2001, as it applies to the state of Telangana, grants the ability to the Registrar of Societies (ROS) to register the firm. Application to the Registrar may need to be made online through MeeSeva. Society registration fee is charged around ₹500.
    Society registration may be established for the purpose of developing.
  • Art, fine arts, crafts, education, altruism, culture, literature, religion, sports (with the exception of chance-based activities), and sports
  • Understanding of business and industry
  • Political instruction and preparation
  • Upkeep of the library
  • Historical monument collection and maintenance, as well as technical and philosophical study. encouraging a scientific mindset in society, etc.
  • Dissemination of information for any public purpose.
  • A society registration needs at least seven members who are older than 18 to qualify.

    Recent Updates

    New Rules Impose Restrictions on NGOs and Other Registered Societies To Get Foreign Funding

    With the implementation of the Societies Registration (Amendment) Act, 2021, anyone found guilty by a court and given a sentence of two years or more is no longer eligible to serve as a member or office holder of a society registered under the Act.

    After receiving presidential approval, the amended law was enacted by the UP Assembly in 2021, and notification of its enforcement was released on July 18. The Act calls for the registration of literary, scientific, and benevolent societies, as well as non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and societies that operate educational institutions. In Uttar Pradesh, this Act applies to around ₹3.5 lakh societies.

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