Society Registration in India
Researching on the internet to register a society in India can be confusing. There are many sites offering information but they may not agree with each other. So I decided to write on society registration in India. The process of registration of society in India is not as difficult as it seems. Society Registration in India can be done by following some simple steps. A person or a group of people can form a society under the societies act 1860. Before going to register a society, you should have certain things ready. Some basic things that are required to register a society are:
The Objective Society Registration
The objective is to promote and fulfill the needs, interests, and aspirations of its members, and any other activities that serve the public interest. Society registration in India is governed by the Central Societies Registration Act, 1860, which was enacted by the British.
Purpose of Society Registration
The registration of a society is a legal process that must be completed before a society can commence operating. The purpose of registering a society is to establish a public record, which provides transparency and accountability for society. Registration also ensures that society is accountable to the State.
The benefits of registration include access to funding and tax-exempt status, as well as providing support with research and development, patenting, commercialization, and business planning.
The memorandum of association and rules
A Memorandum of association is the main document that details everything about the society. The memorandum will state about the name of the registered societies, its objective, and the address of the office. This document is required to be signed by at least 7 members of society. The memorandum also states about who will be responsible for managing the funds, property, and liabilities of the registered societies and these details can be altered later on as well.
A Memorandum of rules is similar to the memorandum of association but differs from it in many ways. Rules give more details about how the funds, property. Liabilities will be managed within the registered societies and also state about how the office-bearers will be elected, etc.
The following is a list of documents required to register a society in India:
- Memorandum of Association, which is the document that defines the purpose of the society.
- The draft constitution, which establishes the rules and regulations by which the society will be governed. It must also state that the society has been formed for non-profit purposes.
- Copy of the Trust Deed or Will (if applicable) of each founder member, if it grants powers to such member to bind other members.
- Resolutions passed by the General Body in terms of which these members have been delegated powers to sign on behalf of other members before registration.
- List of 9 members, who are to be served as General Body members, can be from any part of India on the condition that every member should be from a separate state.
- A true copy of the certificate of registration issued under section 12AA of Income Tax Act,1961 or any other such certificate issued by a competent authority in respect of income-tax matters.
- A true copy of the certificate issued under section 25(1)(a)(iii) of Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act,2010 or any other such certificate issued by a competent authority in respect of foreign contribution matters.
