Before a housing society can start to function like a well-oiled machine, it has to lay a strong foundation of robust administrative framework in its inception stage. The ball gets rolling at the first general body meeting of a housing society. The most critical agenda of the meeting is to elect a working managing committee that can take upon the task of creating a stable grassroot level policy/structure for the daily functioning of the society, which is later handed over to the Managing Committee upon election.
What is general body meeting?
The first general body meeting is the place where several important rules are set forth and monthly charges are arrived at. The first general body meeting should be held within three months from the date that the society is registered. It is to be called and conducted by the Chief Promoter, however in his absence, it can be conducted by anyone else who is assigned the responsibility by the Registrar. All members of the society are to be informed about the first general body meeting 14 days before the date of the meeting and a notice is to be placed in the society’s notice board. In the same notice, the society should invite nominations from members to form a provisional working committee.
Fundamentals of Annual General Body Meeting
The Annual General Body Meeting of a Society Complex is an annual event held to examine the Society’s significant problems and reach a collective agreement on the most effective solutions available. In an ideal world, the Annual General Body Meeting Society (AGM) would take place before August 14th (or at the time specified in your association’s bylaws).
You may postpone this date for a maximum of three months after receiving authorization from the Registrar of Societies. Assume the Registrar is not persuaded by the explanations provided for the postponement of the AGM. In that case, the Registrar may appoint an authorised official to preside over the AGM at the expense of the organisation.
The majority of the topics discussed at the Annual General Body Meeting (AGM) will be related to Society’s policies, finances, and future course of action. The pieces that can be surfaced during the AGM are limitless; however, specific topics, such as the election of new members, the appointment of auditors, and any policy change addressing the amounts of expenses, among other things, can only be finalised through an AGM.
What is the agenda of the first general body meeting?
- Election of a President/Chairman for the meeting
- Review membership applications/ admit new members to the society (other than the promoter members)
- Form a working (provisional) managing committee which will function for one year till the time regular elections of the managing committee start and will have all the powers of the MC
- Clearly outline the functions of each member of the provisional committee
Receiving and approving Statement of Accounts made by the Chief Promoter (as on 14 days prior to the date of the first general body meeting) - To decide the monthly charges to be paid by the members to the society, including maintenance charges, sinking fund, property tax, parking slots/charges, non-occupancy charges, common electricity charges, building insurance and lift charges, transfer premium charges, interest charges for defaulters, charges for the use of society’s open spaces (if any), water charges, municipal tax, non agriculture tax (if applicable). Any other charges that the society deems necessary should be decided in the meeting.
- To approve all the expenses incurred from the date of registration up until the first general body meeting
- Fix the limit of amount up to which funds can be borrowed
- Authorise/appoint committee members who would be responsible for obtaining right, title, conveyance deed under the name of the society from the builder
- Appoint an Internal Auditor of the society and fix his compensation (if any)
- Appoint a member of the provisional committee to call the first provisional committee meeting
- Discuss and review opportunities of affiliation with any district or federal institutions
- To pass rules, regulations and code of conduct for the members to ensure smooth functioning of the society
- To authorise a provisional committee member to carry out bank transactions, cheque signing, transfer of bank account to a district co-op bank, etc.
Recording of minutes of meeting
The Presiding Officer previously elected will record the minutes of the meeting of the first general body meeting and hand them over to the provisional secretary appointed in the meeting or deputed by the Registrar. The first general body meeting of a housing society sets the tone for the future framework of the society. Thus it had to be immaculately recorded and presided over with much care and attention.
Handover from Chief Promoter to Provisional Managing Committee
After the election of the provisional committee at the first general body meeting, the Chief Promoter hands over to a committee member the following documents:
- All records of the society, including registration application and certificate
- Copy of bye-laws approved and registered by the Registrar
- Counterfoils of used cheques, unused cheques, forms, challans of amounts deposited in the bank and bank passbooks, statement of accounts, etc.
- Original/copy of all agreements entered into by him, with vendors, other institutes, builder, architects, etc.
- All membership applications
- Information of all promoter members
- Leftover cash (if any)
- Vouchers of expenses (if any)
- All correspondences between society and the Registrar, local authorities, municipal corporation, etc.
- Building/site plans, approved and floorwise
- Any other records (digital or physical) that he is in possession of
The Chief Promoter should handover these documents at the first meeting of the provisional committee and no documents or assets/liabilities should remain with him.
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