An Overview of Society Registration in Telangana

In India, a Society can be referred to as an association of multiple individuals with a common interest. The group of individuals focus on governing & taking the initiative to achieve a common goal. The Society Registration Act lays down certain procedures for the purpose of Society Registration in Telangana. This Act was introduced with the aim of augmenting the legal stipulations of Society Registration for the advancement of fine arts, literature, science or distribution of awareness for generous purposes. The Act has been accepted by some State Governments with or without further amendments.

Importance of Society Registration

1. Promotion of Science & Literature;
2. To support arts;
3. Establishing libraries;
4. Political education dissemination;
5. Dissemination, promotion, or instruction of knowledge that is useful;
6. Assemblages of mechanical & philosophical designs, creations, or tools;
7. Natural history museum collections;
8. Building public museums.

What is the Societies Registration Act, 2001?

According to this Act, a minimum of seven individuals who have attained the age of 18 years can apply for a Society Registration in Telangana. Society should contain a minimum of three executive committee members. Following are some of the purposes of establishing a Society in Telangana:

• Educational, cultural, literature, charity, and regional purposes;
• Sports;
• Promotion of scientific temper in Society;
• For maintaining a library in Telangana;
• Knowledge of commerce & industry purpose;
• Fine Arts and Crafts;
• For preservation & collection of historical monuments, technical & philosophical research ;
• For any public purpose;
• For political education & training.

Benefits of Society Registration in Telangana

The following are some benefits of Society Registration in Telangana:

• Avail tax exemption from income tax. The Society working under the Act is eligible to file ITR;
• Safeguard the properties of the incorporated body against the opponent seeking ownership of the same;
• Gather funds from outside sources;
• Purchase a certain property without legal hassles, and registered Society holds the right to enforce proceedings regarding legal affairs in the court;
• Avoids the provisions that discourage the opening of a bank account in its name;
• Move the old property to another entity without involving with daunting documentation or strict compliances;
• Carry fewer liabilities;
• File cases against the defaulters/in case of a dispute. The registered Society holds the right to impose proceedings regarding legal affairs in the court.

Vital Documents Required for Society Registration in Telangana

Following are some vital documents required for Society Registration in Telangana:

• PAN Card: PAN Card of all the members of the Society.
• Valid Residence Proof: All members' residence proof of the Society must be submitted. The following can be used as legitimate residence proof:

1. Aadhar Card;
2. Driving License;
3. Bank Statement;
4. Latest Utility Bill;
5. Passport

• MOA or Memorandum of Association: The MOA has to be prepared, which will contain the following information:

1. The details or information of all the members establishing the Society;
2. The objectives & work of the Society for which it is being formed;
3. It will include the registered office address.

• Covering Letter: This letter mentioning the objective for which the Society is being established will be annexed to the beginning of the Society Registration application. It will be duly signed by all the founding members of the Society.
• Address Proof: A copy of address proof where the registered office of the Society will be located, along with a No Objection Certificate from the landlord, if any, has to be attached.
• Declaration: A declaration has to be provided by the president of the proposed Society that he or she is willing & competent to hold the said post.
• List of all members: A detailed list of all the members of the governing body has to be given with their signatures.
• Rules & Regulations of the Society: The rules & regulations also have to be prepared, which will include the following details:

1. Rules & regulations by which the Society working will be governed & the maintenance of day-to-day activities;
2. Auditors’ information;
3. It will contain the rules for taking society membership;
4. Ways for the Society's dissolution will also be mentioned;
5. Forms of arbitration in the case of any dispute between the Society's members;
6. The details regarding the meetings of the Society & the frequency with which they are going to be held is to be mentioned.

All the above documents should be submitted to the Societies' Registrar along with the mandatory fees. On receiving the application, the Registrar will sign the 1^st copy as acknowledgement & return it while keeping the 2^nd copy for approval. On proper screening of the documents, the Registrar will issue an Incorporation Certificate by allotting a Registration Number to it.

The signed Rules and Regulations and MoA have to be filed with the concerned Society or Registrar of State with the mentioned fee. If the Registrar is fulfilled with the application for Society Registration, then they will declare that the Society is registered.

Procedure for Society Registration in Telangana

Following is the procedure for Society Registration in Telangana:

1. Gather all the documents: First, the applicant needs to furnish all the required documents. The applicant must make sure that these documents are properly assessed before application filing.
2. File the online application: After gathering all the documents, the next step is filing out the application form online. Our experts at Corpbiz will help you in filing the application for Society Registration on your behalf.
3. Submit the Application: Then, our experts will submit the online application along with the documents and required fees.
4. Obtain Registration Certificate: The Head Office will assess your application and if it is satisfied with your application, you will get the Society Registration Certificate.

Post Registration Compliance

Following registration, a trust make take the following actions:

• Acquire a PAN Card;
• Establish a Bank Account;
• Bookkeeping & Accounting;
• Yearly IT filings;
• GST Registration (if applicable), Professional Tax Registration (if required);
• Observing the Requirements of the Registrar of Firm – AGM Resolution, Financial Information & a member list must all be filed with the Registrar of Firms.

Some Drawback of an Unregistered Society

While you can get Society Registration in Telangana, there are some drawbacks that you can simply cannot ignore:

• Without Society Registration in Telangana, your Society cannot be considered a separate legal entity;
• If you don't have a Registration Certificate for your Society, you don’t have any right to take legal action against anyone as a society;
• For an unregistered Society, shifting of Society is an idea that cannot exist;
• For a Society with no association registration, the Indian Government holds no value;