‘Flat cannot be commercialised without committee nod’

Q. Our society secretary is not conducting the managing committee's meetings. Can the other members requisition the secretary or chairman to conduct the meeting? If the chairman is also favouring the secretary, what are the former's powers in this regard?

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Prasanna Sekharan, Matunga

A. It is the secretary's responsibility to conduct meetings regularly to ensure that the society is managed well and more so to comply with the Maharashtra Cooperative Societies (MCS) Act, rules and bylaws. If the secretary fails to convene the meetings, the chairman is empowered to convene them and issue the notice and agenda for the same.

Other committee members can also requisition for a meeting. On a requisition of one-third members, the secretary should convene a special meeting within seven days from the date of receipt of the requisition. Otherwise, the chairman is empowered to convene the meeting. However, if both of them fail to convene the regular or special meetings and also don't issue the notice and agenda for them, the housing federation, with which the society is affiliated, may call for the meeting upon receipt of a request from the members. The members present have to elect one among them as a chairman, who will preside over the meeting in the absence of the elected chairman. (Refer bylaws 132, 133, 135)

Q. Can treasurer be removed by the managing committee or it requires the general body's approval?

Farokh Sahi, Dadar