Who Can Become Chairman of the Housing Society
Every housing society comprises a committee of house owners where they can raise concerns and discuss potential solutions for various society-related issues. This committee is supervised by the chairman who is vested with a lot of powers to carry out some responsibilities for the society, ensuring a smooth flow of tasks.
If you also aspire to be a chairman of your society, this blog is for you. It highlights who can become chairman of housing society, their powers, and their responsibilities. Read on to learn about them in detail so you can prepare yourself well for the upcoming elections and later easily fulfil the responsibilities.
Who is a Chairman of a Housing Society?
The chairman of the management committee is a person elected by the members of the housing society to preside over meetings, implement resolutions of the committee, and serve as the official representative of the society. He/She occupies the highest rank in the hierarchy of the society.
Who is Eligible to Become the Chairman of the Housing Society?
- The chairman of a housing society is usually elected by the managing committee (board of directors) from among its members.
- Any core committee member can stand for becoming the chairman of the society.
- In some cases, even a tenant (non-owner) can contest for the chairman position, depending on the society’s rules.
- However, if bye-laws or legal provisions restrict eligibility, such individuals cannot participate and must step back.
- Certain categories of people may be disqualified from contesting elections as per society laws.
- Once elected, the chairman is responsible for overseeing society operations and working for the welfare of residents.
What are the Roles of the Chairman of the Housing Society?
Being a chairperson comes with several crucial roles that one needs to play during their tenure, to ensure the welfare of society. Some of these essential roles of a chairperson include:
- Supervising the work of the secretary
- Take responsibility for the work done by them
- Maintain all the cash records and account statements
- Provide the necessary information asked by the government
- Sign legal and other crucial papers on behalf of society
These roles are full of a variety of responsibilities that a person will need to fulfil upon being the chairman of a housing society.
How is a Chairman Elected in a Housing Society?
The chairman is not directly elected by all society members. The process typically works as follows:
- Society members elect the managing committee through a general body election
- The elected managing committee members then vote among themselves to select the chairman
- The elected chairman’s name is submitted to the Registrar of Co-operative Societies
- The term is usually 5 years (varies by state – Maharashtra follows this; check your state’s Co-operative Societies Act
What are the Responsibilities of the Chairman of the Housing Society?
The chairman also called the president, is responsible for supervising the overall society and ensuring its smooth functioning. There is a plethora of responsibilities that a chairman of a housing society needs to take care of. These responsibilities include:
| Responsibility | Description |
| Supervising Finances | Acts as a joint signatory for bank operations and ensures proper and responsible use of society funds. |
| Organising Meetings | Schedules monthly meetings and AGMs, and ensures smooth and productive discussions. |
| Record Maintenance | Maintains financial records and presents them when required, especially for audits. |
| Building Community | Organises social and welfare events to promote harmony among residents. |
| Preparing for Emergencies | Stays prepared to handle financial or material emergencies within the society. |
| Implementing Resolutions | Ensures that decisions taken in meetings are properly executed. |
| Accepting Emails | Manages the society’s official email ID and responds to communications. |
| Maintaining Cash Deposits | Handles collection, storage, and proper usage of maintenance and emergency funds. |
| Preparing Audit Reports | Prepares and presents annual financial audit reports in the AGM for transparency. |
| Addressing Breaches | Takes action against members who violate society rules and ensures compliance. |
However, in addition to these responsibilities, the chairman also has the power to regulate several activities in society.
What are the Powers of the Chairman of the Housing Society?
The power of chairman in housing society that helps them fulfil their job without much struggle. Following are some exclusive powers that reside in the hands of the chairman of a housing society:
- Presiding over meetings: The chairman of a society has the sole authority to oversee the meetings that are being conducted on a monthly and annual basis.
- Signing financial papers: They have the power to sign all the essential bank documents and financial papers, ensuring proper use of money.
- Managing the society: A chairman has the power to take all the necessary steps to efficiently manage a society.
- Authority on decisions: After hearing the concerns and opinions of the committee members, the chairman has the final deciding authority on the matter.
- Access to records: They have access to all the financial records, helping them prepare the annual financial audit without much hassle.
- Calling meetings: It is up to the chairman of the society to decide on which date the monthly and annual meetings should be held.
- Organising various events: A chairman can organise various events and allocate the necessary funds from the society’s treasure for the same.
How to Remove Chairman of Housing Society?
- Check Bye-Laws: Follow the procedure mentioned in the society’s bye-laws and local cooperative laws.
- Call a Meeting: Request a Special General Meeting (SGM) or managing committee meeting with proper notice.
- Raise a Motion: Propose a no-confidence motion against the chairman with valid reasons.
- Voting Process: Conduct voting among committee members or general body, as applicable.
- Majority Approval: If the required majority supports the motion, the chairman is removed.
- Record the Decision: Document the resolution and update society records officially.
Chairman vs Secretary of a Housing Society
| Role | Chairman | Secretary |
| Position | Head of managing committee | Administrative head |
| Elected by | Managing committee members | Managing committee members |
| Primary role | Presiding, decision-making | Day-to-day administration |
| Signs documents | Yes (co-signs with secretary) | Yes (co-signs with chairman) |
| Meeting role | Presides over meetings | Conducts and records meetings |
Also Check out these pages for detailed understanding
Simplify Chairman Selection & Society Leadership with NoBrokerHood
Selecting or electing a chairman in a housing society involves eligibility checks, committee coordination, meetings, and transparent decision-making. Handling this manually can lead to confusion, delays, or disputes. NoBrokerHood provides digital tools that simplify the entire process – from communication to documentation – while helping the committee follow proper rules and governance.
| NoBrokerHood Feature | How It Helps in Chairman Selection & Management |
| Communication Management | Notify members about chairman elections, eligibility criteria, and important updates through app alerts and notices. |
| Announcement & Notice Board | Share official election notices, nomination details, and meeting agendas transparently with all residents. |
| Meeting Management | Schedule and manage committee meetings, AGMs, or SGMs where the chairman is elected or discussed. |
| Member Database | Maintain updated records of eligible members (owners/tenants, dues status, etc.) for nomination and election. |
| Document Storage | Store nomination forms, election records, meeting minutes, and compliance documents securely. |
| Voting & Polling System | Conduct structured and transparent voting (if applicable) for selecting the chairman. |
| Accounting & Financial Tools | Help the chairman manage finances, approvals, and records as part of their responsibilities. |
| Task & Workflow Management | Assign and track responsibilities among committee members for smooth society operations. |
| Audit Trail & Record Keeping | Keep a complete history of decisions, elections, and approvals to avoid disputes and ensure compliance. |
By digitizing communication, elections, and record-keeping, NoBrokerHood helps housing societies choose the right chairman efficiently while ensuring transparency, compliance, and smooth management.
FAQs
Current and former two-term chairpersons, along with state or central government ministers, are ineligible to contest elections for a society’s committee chairperson or vice-chairperson positions.
Yes, the chairman of a society has the complete liberty to delegate some of his powers and functions to the vice chairman in case they feel overburdened.
Yes, if a person resides within 2 kilometres of the society and actively takes part in the monthly meetings, he is an eligible candidate for chairman elections.
Yes, a flat owner who has rented out his property can also contest for the election of chairman provided that they attend all the society meetings.
No, as per the MCS Act, the position of the chairman of a housing society cannot be left vacant. Hence, before a new person is elected as the chairman, the previous person will have to carry on their duties.
No. The society chairman cannot take unilateral decisions on society matters. All decisions must be approved by the managing committee or general body, depending on the nature of the decision.