A society is an association or organisation of several people combined using a mutual agreement or an accord to deliberate, administer, and act cooperatively for the benefit of a community. Societies are normally registered for the improvement of charitable activities like sports, culture, music, religion, education, art, etc.
Society Registration, under the Society Registration Act, 1860, provides some ideas for the purpose of society registration and operation. This act was passed to increase the legal stipulations of society registration for the improvement of fine arts, literature, science, or the distribution of information for bountiful ideas. The Society Registration Act, 1860 has been accepted by some state governments with or without further amendments.
What is the Purpose of Society Registration?
A society registration can be done for the development of science, fine arts, literature, or else for the diffusion of useful information or charitable goals of political education. According to Section 20 of the Society Registration Act, 1860, a society registration can be created for the following purposes:
- Development of fine arts
- Diffusion of political education
- Grant of charitable assistance
- Development of science and literature
- Production of military orphan funds
- Maintenance of galleries or public museum
- Support or foundation of reading libraries or rooms
- Promotion or direction of useful knowledge
- Collections of natural history
- Collections of philosophical inventions and mechanical designs, or instruments
Documents Required for Society Registration
- A letter approved by all the founding members requesting for the enrollment
- Certified proof of the Memorandum of Association approved by the founding members alongside a duplicate
- Minutes of the general body meeting
- A table with the occupation, names, and addresses of all the founding members
- Declaration of the society’s president
- Address proof of the office and a no-objection certificate approved by the landlord
- An affidavit stating the relationship existing within the subscribers from either the president or the secretary
All these documents should be furnished along with the registration fee.
Steps for Registering a Society In India
A society can be formed by a minimum of 7 or more persons. Apart from people from India, corporations, companies, foreigners, as well as other registered societies can also register for the Memorandum of Association of the society. Similar to partnership firms, society can further be either unregistered or filed, but only enrolled societies will be able to endure consigned properties and/or have an organisation filed against society.
Society registration is supported by the state government. Therefore, the application for society registration must be produced to the specific authority of the state, where the certified office of the society is situated.
For society registration, the establishing members must match with the name of society first and then plan for the memorandum, followed by the rules and regulations of the society.
Name Selection
When choosing a name for Society Registration Online, it is important to recognise that, according to the Registered Society Act, 1860, an equal or similar name of a recently enrolled society will not be allowed. Further, the proposed name shall not recommend for any business of state government or the Government of India or infringe upon the requirements of Emblem & Names Act, 1950.
Memorandum of Association
The Memorandum of Association of the society, simultaneously with the rules and regulations of the society, must be approved by every establishing member and witnessed by a gazetted officer, chartered accountant, notary public, advocate, oath commissioner, or magistrate first class with their official stamp and full address. The memorandum must include the name and object of the society. Additionally, it consists of details about the members of the society along with their addresses, names, occupations, and designations. The following documents have to be provided, submitted, and approved for registration:
- A request for society registration in a covering letter, signed by all establishing members
- A duplicate copy or image of the Memorandum of Association of the society simultaneously with a verified copy
- A duplicate copy of the rules and regulations of the society along with a duplicate copy, duly approved by all establishing members
- Address proof of the certified office of the society, as well as a No-objection Certificate (NOC), declared by the landlord
- Affidavit declared by the secretary or president of the society representing the relationship among subscribers
- Few minutes of meeting concerning registration of the society along with some essential implementing documents
What Are the Requirements for Society Registration?
A society can be registered for any of the above-mentioned ideas that are not-for-profit by a minimum of seven or more persons. Besides people, a company or partnership firm or an enrolled society or a foreigner may additionally be eligible to form a society by subscribing to the memorandum of a society.
The Memorandum of Association of a society is a document which sets down the objects and authorised activities of the society. The Memorandum of Association of a society must include the name of the society, details of the members, objects of the governing body, and registered office address.
