The Maharashtra Societies Welfare Association (MahaSeWA) has warned that it would approach the Bombay High Court if the state fails to give an extension to co-operative housing societies to conduct their annual general meeting till March 2022 and file their accounts by December 2021.
Ramesh Prabhu, president of MahaSeWA, said that two cabinet meetings will be held this month. If a decision on extension is not taken, it will seek legal remedy. "The lockdown affected the filing of accounts. The deadline is September 30. We need an extension till December. Besides, if the accounts are not ready, how can we expect societies to conduct AGMs?" The AGMs clear the audits of previous years and appoint auditors for the new fiscal year. Societies failing to conduct AGMs are liable for penalty and action under the provision of law.
During the first lockdown, the state had extended the deadline to conduct AGMs to March 2021. Societies were asked to conduct online meetings via video conferencing.
Kisan Bhagwat, secretary of Hare Krishna CHS in Andheri (East), agreed to the demand of extension. He said, "The extension is needed as every society is reeling from the pandemic. If an extension is given and the notification is issued in advance, it will provide relief to the existing committee members to close the records appropriately."
Meanwhile, the commissioner's office has already put forward the proposal before the state ministry. The clarification will arrive only in the upcoming cabinet meetings.