Dy registrar dismisses Churchgate managing committee, bars members for 5 years

The deputy registrar, Rupali Mane, passed the order on Tuesday following a complaint lodged by Anil Chokhani, who too was a member of the managing committee

MUMBAI: The deputy registrar of co-operative societies, A ward, has removed eight members of the managing committee of Bhartiya Friends Cooperative Housing Society in Churchgate, following a complaint lodged by a member and barred them from holding posts for five years.

Mumbai, India - Aug. 28, 2026: Bhartiya Friends Co-operative Housing Society, Sadhana, B Road, Churchgate, in Mumbai, India, on Friday, August 28, 2026. (Photo by Anshuman Poyrekar/Hindustan Times) (Anshuman Poyrekar/HT Photo)

The deputy registrar, Rupali Mane, passed the order on Tuesday following a complaint lodged by Anil Chokhani, who too was a member of the managing committee. Chokhani had approached the authority in July last year, alleging mismanagement, breach of byelaws, suppression of interests of members and recovery of unauthorised transfer charges etc.

In his complaint, Chokhani said he had given his flat on leave and licence basis, but there was an inordinate delay from the housing society in issuing an NOC for the licence holder to use the society’s parking lot. He also alleged that the housing society had recovered an excessive sum of ₹20.82 lakh from a member towards transfer charges in the name of “voluntary contribution for repairs and renovation.

The deputy registrar, however, noted that the complainant had on June 24, 2025, applied for certain documents from the society, paid the fees for the same, offered to pay more if required, and also sent two reminders, but the society neither replied to his requests nor supplied the documents in the stipulated 45 days.

Mane noted that the society had complied with the requisition after 10 months, that too partially, and therefore it amounted to breach of the mandate of Section 154B-8(1) of the MCS Act, which is sufficient to disqualify the managing committee, as held by the Bombay High Court in WP 5096 of 2022.

She concluded that the managing committee had acted in breach of the statutory mandate and contrary to the interest of the members, and was therefore liable to be disqualified. Mane accordingly removed the eight members and barred them from holding posts for five years.