The Societies Registration Act, 1860 is a pre-independence era legislation that envisaged the incorporation, management and dissolution of societies incorporated under the said Act. The Societies which are to be registered under the said Act were mainly for non-profit making and for benevolent purposes. The nature and character of a modern society is vastly different from what was envisaged under the said Act. Societies today have acquired economic significance by the nature of their activities. Modern societies aspire to be pan-national bodies operating in larger public interest while being financially independent. It was felt that the present regulatory framework did not provide for an enabling framework to multi-state societies operating across India. Therefore, the Central Government constituted this Expert Group in May, 2011 to frame a Model Law in place of Societies Registration Act, 1860, to be followed by the states and to tackle the issues relating to societies whose operations are restricted to a particular state and also to suggest a more scientific and rational regulatory environment for multi-state societies. Since preparing a new Model Law to replace, Societies Registration Act, 1860 will require a wide consultation with all states of India which will require much more time that has been given to the Expert Group for submitting its report in the matter. With that objects in mind, and that at present there is no law governing societies whose operations are spread over in more than one State which requires to be administered by the Central Government, the Expert Group has come out with the draft Multi-State Societies Registration Bill, 2012 (Bill) and the Model Law will be prepared and discussed in the second report of the Group after receiving comments/suggestions from all the states.
Following Documents required for Societies Registration
1.) Request letter to register a society under Societies Registration Act 1860, signed by all the subscribers to the memorandum or by a person duly authorized by all of them.
2.) Two sets of Memorandum of association including list of proposed Governing Body and list of members.
3.) Two sets of Rules and regulations framed for the functioning of the organization.
4.) Affidavits of the president/Secretary of the Society regarding the name/title of the society, on a non-judicial stamp paper of prescribed value, duly attested by an oath commissioner, notary public or 1st class magistrate.
5.) Copy of residence proof of all members.
6.) Proof of ownership of the registered office of the society and no objection certificate from the landlord of the premises.
