Many members assume the Registrar’s office must clear a redevelopment before it can go ahead. A circular issued by the Commissioner for Co-operation and Registrar on 4 November 2025 says otherwise. This guide sets out what that circular says, who does what, and where a dispute goes. It covers cooperative housing societies only, not SRA, MHADA or cessed-building schemes.
Why the Registrar issued the circular
The circular refers to the Government resolution of 4 July 2019, issued under Section 79A of the Maharashtra Co-operative Societies Act, 1960, which lays down the redevelopment procedure for cooperative housing societies. It also refers to an order of the Bombay High Court dated 17 October 2025 in Writ Petition No. 13544/2025 (Balthazar Fernandes v. Deputy Registrar, Co-operative Societies, H-West Ward, Mumbai and others).
As the circular records it, the High Court said that under the 2019 resolution the Registrar’s role is only supervisory, and that neither the Act, the Rules of 1961 nor the resolution gives the Registrar any power to give a “no objection” to a society’s redevelopment.
Who decides: the general body
The circular states that, under the Act, the special general meeting is the supreme body for redevelopment decisions. The validity of that meeting and of the decisions taken in it is for the Co-operative Court to decide under Section 91, not for the Registrar.
What the Registrar does, and does not do
| Question | What the circular says |
|---|---|
| Appoint an authorised officer? | Yes. Within 14 days of receiving the society’s proposal for a special general meeting, the Registrar must appoint one. Failure or refusal can lead to disciplinary action against the officer. |
| Attend the developer-selection meeting? | Yes. The authorised officer attends, checks that the required quorum is met, supervises the proceedings, and makes sure the meeting is video recorded and the minutes, voting and resolutions are properly recorded. |
| Receive papers from the society? | Yes. The society must send the meeting notice, agenda, members’ consent letters, minutes and the video recording to the Registrar’s office within 15 days, and the office keeps them. |
| Give a “no objection” for redevelopment? | No. Registrars must not accept, process or act on any request for one, and must not issue any such letter to the society or anyone else. |
| Review, change or veto the general body’s decision? | No. The circular says the Registrar has no power to review, alter or reject it, and that no such veto decisions are to be taken. |
If a member thinks the process was wrong
The circular says that a member who feels the society broke the law, rules or bye-laws while running the redevelopment process, or who objects to a decision of the special general meeting, should be told that the remedy is a dispute before the Co-operative Court under Section 91 of the Act. A complaint to the Registrar will not undo the decision, because the Registrar has no power to do so.
What to keep when a redevelopment meeting is called
The circular lists the papers the society must file after the developer-selection meeting. Members who attend can ask the committee for the same set, so each person can see what was recorded:
- the notice and agenda of the special general meeting
- the consent letters of members
- the minutes of the meeting
- the video recording of the meeting
- proof that the papers reached the Registrar’s office within 15 days
The 2026 model bye-laws and Rules add notice and quorum conditions for these meetings. They are explained in our guide to the Maharashtra Housing Society Rules 2026. For disputes inside a society more generally, see who decides what in society disputes.
Common questions
Can the Registrar stop a redevelopment?
According to the circular, the Registrar has no power to review, change or reject the general body’s redevelopment decision. Challenges go to the Co-operative Court.
Do we need a “no objection” from the Registrar before signing with a developer?
No. The circular tells Registrars not to accept or act on requests for one, and not to issue one.
What if the Registrar’s office does not send an officer to the meeting?
The circular requires the appointment within 14 days of the society’s proposal and warns of disciplinary action for failure to appoint. A society facing delay can point to the circular when it follows up in writing.
Where do I read the circular?
It is published on the Department of Co-operation’s website, linked below.
Sources
- Circular of the Commissioner for Co-operation and Registrar, Pune, 4 November 2025, on not issuing “no objection” for redevelopment of cooperative housing societies (Marathi, Department of Co-operation, Marketing and Textiles)
- Department of Co-operation, Maharashtra: Circulars and Standing Orders
This guide is general information and does not replace advice on your society’s facts. Court remedies depend on the details of each dispute.