Guide to Goa Cooperative Societies Act, 2023

The Goa Cooperative Societies Act 2023, is an amendment to the Goa Cooperative Societies Act 2001. The Goa Government implemented this act on October 18, 2023 and it came into force on November 1,2023. The purpose of implementing this Act is to frame loan policies, eliminate the technical difficulties when accepting a resignation, provide an opportunity for members to resign from the society’s membership, and more. 

Read more to get a comprehensive idea about this Act!

Co operative Principles and Bye laws of Goa Co operative Societies Act 2023

Individuals or co-operatives willing to form a cooperative society under this Act must frame some laws that follow basic principles of cooperation.

(a) Membership in a cooperative society must be available without restrictions based on any social status, politics, race or religion.

(b) Co-operative societies are run democratically.

(c) Share capital will get a limited rate of dividend

(d) Economic results belong to members of that society

(e) All cooperative societies must educate their members, office-bearers and employees.

Goa Maintenance Society Bye Laws

Goa maintenance society bye laws are the foundational rules that every cooperative housing society must frame and register under the Goa Co-operative Societies Act 2023 to govern its internal operations. 

• Bye-laws must ensure open and non-discriminatory membership regardless of social status, caste, or religion.
• Societies must follow democratic decision-making principles in all governance matters.
• Share capital dividends are limited as mandated under cooperative principles.
• Mandatory education for all members, office-bearers, and employees is compulsory under the bye-laws.
• Any bye-law amendment requires approval from at least two-thirds of eligible voting members at a general meeting.
• A certified copy of the amendment must be submitted to the Registrar within 45 days along with the prescribed fee.
• If the Registrar fails to respond within 45 days, the amendment is automatically considered registered – preventing unnecessary administrative delays.

Conditions of Registration of Goa Cooperative Societies Act

1. A society (except a federal society) can only register under this Goa Cooperative Societies Act if it has at least ten individuals. However, there are more specifications. Each society member must belong to a different family. Then, only they can meet the qualifications to be a member under this Act and reside or do business in the society’s area of operation.

2. A federal society can only get registered under this act if it has at least five societies as its members.

3. This specific Act does not affect the registration of any society that was registered before the Act was implemented.

4. The society’s name must not address any caste or religion

5. The name of every society which is registered or supposed to get registered under this Act must end with the word “Limited” or its equivalent in any language.

Who is a Registrar in a Cooperative Society?

The Registrar of Cooperative Societies in Goa is the designated government authority responsible for overseeing the registration, regulation, and dissolution of cooperative societies under the Goa Co operative Societies Act 2023. 

• Reviews and processes society registration applications submitted under the Goa Co-operative Societies Act 2023.
• Determines the applicable registration fee based on the class of society.
• Must respond to any application within 45 days of receipt – whether approved or refused.
• Communicates reasons for refusal to the applicant within the same 45-day timeframe.
• Maintains an official record of all registered societies in Goa.
• Reviews and approves amendments to society bye laws within the prescribed timeline.
• Holds authority to cancel a society’s registration in cases of mergers, wind-ups, or de-registration under Section 20(1) of the Act.

Application for Registration of Goa Cooperative Societies Act

For registration, the person needs to make an application to the Registrar in the form prescribed. This application form must be accompanied by four copies of the proposed bylaws of the society.

As per Goa Cooperative Societies Act, the Register determines the registration fee and it varies depending on different classes of societies. Besides, the application should be signed by valid members. 

The signature of a person on a society’s application form is only valid if the person is a member of the Board of Directors and has been certified by a Board resolution to sign on the application on behalf of the society. Here, a copy of this resolution needs to be attached to the application for authenticity. 

Registration of society as per  Goa Cooperative Societies Act

(1) After the submission of an application, if the Registrar satisfies the society, the society gets formed under the provisions of sections 5, 6 and 7 of this Act. Then the rules get made thereunder and the Registrar registers the society.

(2) If the Registrar refuses the application, he will connect to the person with the reasons who made the application. It will happen within forty-five days from the date of receipt of the application.

(3) If the Registrar refused registration under sub-section (2), the person can appeal to the co-operative tribunal within sixty days from the date of refusal.

(4) The Registrar should maintain a record of all societies that get registered under the Goa Cooperative Societies Act.

Amendment of Bye-laws of Society as per  Goa Cooperative Societies Act

(1) An amendment of the bylaws of a society will only be credible if it is registered under this Act. To register an amendment of bylaws, a copy of the amendment must be authorized by at least two-thirds of the members. These members should be eligible to vote and present at a general meeting of the society. 

This approved copy, along with the prescribed fee, must be presented to the Registrar within 45 days from the date of the meeting.

(2) The Registrar must check and respond to every application for registering an amendment to the bylaws. This should be done within 45 days of receiving it.

(3) If the Registrar refuses an amendment and does not inform the society about this decision and reasons within 45 days, that particular amendment will be considered automatically registered.

(4) When the Registrar files an amendment to a society’s bylaws, or when the amendment is acknowledged automatically registered, they must provide a certified copy of the amendment to society. This authorized copy will serve as conclusive evidence that the amendment has been properly registered.

Re-construction of Societies as per  Goa Cooperative Societies Act

If a proposal for a compromise or rearrangement:

(a) between a society and its creditors, or

(b) between a society and its members, 

It can get approved at a general meeting arranged for this purpose exclusively, the Registrar can approve the re-construction of society. The reconstruction will follow the prescribed procedure.

Cancellation of Registration as per Goa Cooperative Societies Act

The Registrar can cancel registration of a society if:

The society passes on all its assets and liabilities to another society,

• It combines with other societies,
• It breaks into two or more societies,
• Its affairs are wound up,
• It is de-registered under Section 20(1), or
• Winding-up proceedings are completed or terminated under Section 99.

Once the Registrar cancels a registration, society will be considered dissolved and will no longer exist as a corporate body.

Check out these related pages to know more:

Cooperative Society Management by NoBrokerHood

NoBrokerHood supports cooperative housing societies in Goa by providing a comprehensive digital society management platform that complements the governance framework set under the Goa Co-operative Societies Act 2023. While the Act defines the legal structure for society registration, bye-laws, and member management, NoBrokerHood simplifies day-to-day operations through tools for visitor management, maintenance billing, complaint resolution, and digitized communication – ensuring societies remain compliant, transparent, and efficiently run. It bridges the gap between legal obligations and practical society administration, making it easier for managing committees to fulfil their responsibilities under the Act.

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