Co-operative Society Registration in Haryana
A co-operative society lets ten or more people pool money and work for a shared economic purpose: dairy, credit, housing, labour, consumer stores and more. In Haryana it is registered under the Haryana Co-operative Societies Act, 1984, through an online application to the Assistant Registrar of Co-operative Societies. Section 8(2) requires any refusal to be communicated within one month of the application.
What it is
A co-operative society is a business owned and run by its members for their own benefit. Farmers selling milk together is the classic example. Workers taking construction contracts and families building a housing complex follow the same model. Each member has a say, and the surplus serves the members rather than outside investors.
Section 4 of the Haryana Co-operative Societies Act, 1984 allows registration of a society whose object is to promote the economic interests of its members in line with co-operative principles, with or without limited liability. The Registrar of Co-operative Societies, Haryana, works through Assistant Registrars in each district. New societies apply online on the RCS Haryana portal (cooponline.rcsharyana.gov.in). Once registered, section 9 makes the certificate conclusive evidence that the society exists.
Who it applies to
Pool milk, seed and equipment
Farmers who collect and sell milk or buy inputs in bulk. A dairy group in a Palwal village, for instance, gets a better rate selling as one society than as thirty households.
Build homes as a group
Employees or neighbours who want to buy land and build flats as a co-operative group housing society, owned by the members.
Save, buy or work together
Labour and construction societies, consumer stores and thrift-and-credit societies that pool savings and lend only to members.
Why it matters
Own it together, vote equally
A co-operative runs on member control. The committee is elected by members, and the general meeting approves accounts and plans every year.
Act in the society’s own name
The registered society is a body corporate. It can hold property, sign contracts, borrow and open accounts in its own name, with or without limited liability.
Apply for co-operative schemes
Many state and central schemes for dairy, agriculture and housing are aimed at registered co-operatives, and they ask for the certificate.
Documents required
From the promoter members
- List of at least ten members, each above 18 years, with family details
- Identity and address proof of every member
- Proof that members live or work in the proposed area of operation
- Share money and entry fee details for each member
For the society
- Proposed name and area of operation
- Proposed bye-laws, adopted at the promoters’ meeting
- Minutes of that meeting naming the chief promoter
- A short note or scheme on how the society will work and earn
Office and bank
- Address proof of the registered office
- Owner’s consent if the premises are rented
- Bank certificate of the share money deposited, where the Assistant Registrar asks for it
How it works
Hold the promoters’ meeting
The founding members agree the name, objects, area of operation, share value and the chief promoter. We draft the minutes and the proposed bye-laws.
Register on the RCS Haryana portal
The chief promoter creates a login on the portal and fills the application addressed to the Assistant Registrar of the district.
Sign and upload the application
Section 7 requires the application, with the proposed bye-laws, to be signed by at least ten qualified persons. The form is downloaded, digitally signed and uploaded with the scanned bye-laws.
Prepare for the Inspector’s visit
An Inspector verifies the members and the proposal on the ground and reports to the Assistant Registrar. Here is the catch: members who cannot be found at their stated address are the usual reason a file stalls, so we check the list first.
Receive the registration certificate
Under section 8 the Assistant Registrar checks that the application follows the Act, the objects are proper, the bye-laws do not conflict with the law and the society has a reasonable chance of success. The certificate then issues; a refusal must be communicated within one month.
Timelines
Expect a decision within a month
Section 8(2) requires any order of refusal to be communicated within one month of receiving the application.
Meet every year
Section 25 requires a general meeting once a year to approve the accounts, consider the audit report, review performance and hold elections when due.
Elect the committee every five years
Under section 28 the elected committee holds office for five years. Office bearers must be elected within sixty days of the committee’s election (section 30).
State co-operative or multi-state?
The Haryana Act covers societies working within Haryana. In practice, the question comes up the moment a Faridabad group wants members from across the Delhi border. If your members or operations span two or more states, the society falls under the Multi-State Co-operative Societies Act, 2002 and is registered with the Central Registrar instead. See our page on multi-state co-operative society registration for that route.
| Haryana co-operative society | Multi-state co-operative society | |
|---|---|---|
| Law | Haryana Co-operative Societies Act, 1984 | Multi-State Co-operative Societies Act, 2002 |
| Registering authority | Assistant Registrar, RCS Haryana | Central Registrar of Co-operative Societies |
| Area of operation | Within Haryana | Two or more states |
| Minimum members | Ten individuals above 18, from the prescribed number of families; the Registrar may fix more | Set by the 2002 Act for each state covered |
A farmer group that wants a company form instead can look at producer company registration under the Companies Act, 2013.
What happens if the society ignores the Act
The committee can be removed
Section 34 lets the Registrar remove a committee in the cases the Act lists, and section 33 allows an Administrator to run the society meanwhile.
Disputes go to arbitration
Disputes about the society’s business go to arbitration under sections 102 and 103 of the Act.
Changes need the Registrar
Any change to the bye-laws needs a two-thirds majority of members present and voting, after fifteen days’ notice, and registration by the Registrar under section 10.
Frequently asked questions
How many members are needed for a co-operative society in Haryana?
At least ten individuals above 18 years of age. Section 5 of the Haryana Co-operative Societies Act, 1984 sets this minimum and lets the Registrar fix a higher number, with members drawn from the number of families prescribed in the Rules. A society whose members include another co-operative society is treated differently. Ten adults from separate families make a safe start.
Where do we apply for co-operative society registration in Haryana?
Online, on the RCS Haryana portal at cooponline.rcsharyana.gov.in. The application goes to the Assistant Registrar of Co-operative Societies for your district. You download the filled form, sign it digitally and upload it with the scanned bye-laws. An Inspector then verifies the proposal before the Assistant Registrar decides. We prepare the file so the Inspector finds everything in order.
How long does registration take?
Section 8(2) of the Act requires the Registrar to communicate any refusal within one month of receiving the application. In practice, add a week or two before filing for the promoters’ meeting, bye-laws and member documents. A complete file with clean bye-laws and a member list the Inspector can verify keeps queries to a minimum, so the certificate usually follows without delay.
What is the difference between a co-operative society and an ordinary society?
A co-operative serves the economic interests of its members, under the Haryana Co-operative Societies Act, 1984, and needs at least ten members. An ordinary society works for charity, education, culture or welfare under the Haryana Registration and Regulation of Societies Act, 2012, needs seven members and cannot share profits with them. Choose the co-operative when members trade or save together for their own benefit.
Our members are in Haryana and Delhi. Which law applies?
The Multi-State Co-operative Societies Act, 2002. A society whose objects serve members in more than one state is registered with the Central Registrar, not under the Haryana Act. If you start within Haryana and expand later, the bye-laws and registration must change. We advise on the right route at the planning stage, before any money is collected from members.
How long does the managing committee hold office?
Five years from the date of election, under section 28(4) of the Haryana Act. Section 28 also requires at least one member from the Scheduled Castes and one woman on the committee. Office bearers such as the president and secretary must be elected within sixty days of the committee’s election (section 30). An election calendar kept from day one avoids a last-minute rush.
Can the bye-laws be changed after registration?
Yes. Section 10 requires a resolution passed by a two-thirds majority of members present and voting at a general meeting, called with fifteen days’ notice. The amendment takes effect only after the Registrar registers it. Common changes are a wider area of operation, new objects or a revised share value. We draft the resolution and file it for you.
Is an annual audit and general meeting compulsory?
Yes. Section 25 requires a general meeting at least once a year, where members approve the year’s activities and consider the audit report. Accounts must therefore be audited every year before that meeting. The society also files its income tax return each year on the Income Tax e-filing portal. We handle the books, the audit support and the return as one package.
What it costs
Our fee plus the government fee that applies to your case, quoted before you commit. Tell us the situation and we will price it exactly.
Ready to begin?
Gather your ten members and your plan. We will draft the bye-laws and file with the Assistant Registrar.