The main goals of Society Registration in Gujarat, an organized group of individuals, are to provide non-profit services for the welfare and advancement of society. Such societies must be registered in order to have legal status and qualify for tax exemptions. In this article, we take a close look at Society Registration in Gujarat and the registration process for societies.

Society Registration Act 1860

A society must have seven or more members who are associated for any literary, scientific, charitable, or other similar purposes as per Section 20 of the Act by including their names in a memorandum of association and registering it in the appropriate application form at the time of the society registration.

Who can apply for Society Registration in Gujarat?

• Anyone who wants to register a society with a charitable goal is eligible to do so.
• Self-Help Groups are established to provide financial assistance to group members who are starting businesses, careers, or trades. Such organizations do not qualify to be registered under the Societies Registration Act since such operations are viewed as commercial rather than philanthropic endeavors.
• The Societies Registration Act does not apply to organizations whose goals and purposes are limited to the welfare and interests of their members alone, such as Pensioners Associations and Housing Societies.

Conditions for Society Registration in Gujarat

The following are the few conditions for Society Registration in Gujarat:

The Society’s name

The society that will be registered must choose a distinctive name. A name that is already registered for a society is not permitted under the Societies Registration Act of 1960^[1]. The society’s name must not be similar to the names of any nations, states, local governments, or other names that are forbidden by the Emblems and Names Act of 1950. According to guidelines provided by the Indian government, society should not use the terms “Indian,” “National,” or the names of “National Figures.”

By-laws of the organization

According to Rules and Regulations, the document includes information or queries related to the following:

• The process used to elect, appoint, dismiss, or resign members of the Governing Body, the President, the Secretary, and other offices.
• The length of the governing body members’ terms in office, as well as that of the president, secretary, and other officers.
• The procedure for a member’s admission, resignation, or removal.
• The upkeep of the membership registry and access to it for inspection.
• The guardianship of society’s goods.
• The process for holding society meetings, the advance notification requirements, and the voting procedures.
• The upkeep and examination of accounts
• The examination of the finances and meeting proceedings by the society’s members
• Anything else pertaining to the organization’s business.

Memorandum of Association

The Memorandum of Association must be submitted to the Registrar. It must be signed by seven society members or anyone affiliated with the society, along with the date while signing.

 The following information should be included in the memorandum of association:

(a) The association’s name

(a) The association’s target

(c) The location of the association’s registered office

(d) The first members of the Governing Body’s names

(e) The names, residences, and professions of the memo’s signatories

Submit the changes

The statute permits modifications to the rules and the memorandum of association. If the society’s rules are changed, a copy of each modification must be certified by at least three members of the governing body as being a true copy. After making such a modification, the certified copy must be delivered to the Registrar within thirty days.

Similar to this, if satisfied, the Registrar will approve any changes to the memorandum of association. If the Registrar is not satisfied in accordance with the act, such changes will not take effect.

Annual Meeting of the entire committee

Annual general meetings should be held at least once a year by every society, with no more than 15 months separating two consecutive gatherings.

Audit

The accounts must be maintained in the form approved by the Registrar and must include all the information required by the rules. The accounts need to be balanced and audited annually before the end of March or another date set by the Registrar.

Documents required for Society Registration in Gujarat

The following are the documents needed for Society Registration in Gujarat;

• A certified copy of the resolution, along with a completed Form-A for Registration with the signatures of at least 7 eligible applicants for membership in the Society.
• Four copies of the Society’s proposed bylaws (with the signature of all members)
• Police-issued certification certifying the absence of criminal behavior on the part of the primary promoter and members signing the application
• List of members who have paid an entry fee and/or share capital contributions
• Project report and a certificate from the District Central Bank verifying the bank balance
• Certificates of No Objection (NOC) from other societies operating in the same region (Not required if the same type of society is not existing in the area of registering society).
• A certificate from Talati or Chohra attesting to the fact that the promoters come from various families and live in the Society’s service area

Procedure

The following are the steps to obtain Society Registration in Gujarat:

1. Compile the documents

One of the society’s committee members is responsible for gathering all of the aforementioned paperwork and ensuring its accuracy before filling it out.

2. The online application form should be filled out with the information listed below.

The applicant must go to the official website recommended by the state government and enter all the necessary information about the organization after verifying the legitimacy of the supporting documents. If it becomes challenging to provide truthful facts, the applicant may seek expert counsel. They are limited to assisting the candidate through the process.

3. Send information to the website.

The applicant must submit the application via the official website recommended by the state government after completing the section of it pertaining to society-related information. The applicant has two options if they discover that the official website for registering societies isn’t functioning correctly: either they can seek professional advice or they can submit an offline application for Society Registration in Gujarat.

4. Obtain the certificate of registration for the society.

The state government’s officials will review the application when it is submitted, and if all requirements are met and all required documentation is in place, the applicant will be given a certificate proving society registration. The certificate of society registration is valid for the following five years after it is granted to the applicant. The applicant must submit an online renewal request for the Society Registration in Gujarat no later than one month before the registered society’s expiration date after five years. The applicant would forfeit the society’s legal standing if they didn’t renew the registration.

Conclusion 

The process for Society Registration in Gujarat is comparable to that in other states. All supporting documentation must be uploaded to the state government’s website by a member of the society committee. The society can further philanthropic causes once it has its registration certificate in hand. The society won’t be legitimate and won’t be able to accomplish its goals if it isn’t registered. Our legal experts at Bizadvisors.io might be a wonderful choice for you if you require assistance with Society Registration in Gujarat. So contact Bizadvisors.

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