West Bengal Society Registration

Society is an association of individuals or peoples united together with an aim and objective of providing service for the betterment of others. West Bengal Societies Registration Act, 1961, governs the procedure for society registration and operation in West Bengal. In West Bengal, Society has to be registered with the concerned Registrar in which district it is planned to be established. After registration, society will have legal recognition, and it will be possible to run the society legally. In this article, we look at the process for obtaining West Bengal Society registration. In case you require any assistance for West Bengal Society Registration, please get in touch with an IndiaFilings Advisor at sales@indiafilings.com.

West Bengal Societies Registration Act, 1961

According to the Society Registration Act, Society or association is an organised group of people objective united together by agreement to determine, deliberate and collaborate for the non-profitable services. Society has to be registered at the time of forming with an application at the appropriate Registrar of Firms. Society should contain a minimum of 7 members (general body) and a minimum of three executive committee members.

Objectives of Society

A society can be formed for the following purposes under Society’s Registration Act:

Promotion of literature, arts, science or religion
Charitable purpose including the care or relief of orphans, aged, sick, helpless or indigent persons
The diffusion of knowledge
The dissemination of social, political or economic education
The alleviation of the sufferings of animals
The establishment and maintenance of libraries or reading-rooms for the members or the public
The collection and preservation of manuscripts, works of art, paintings sculptures, antiquities, natural history specimens, mechanical and scientific instruments and designs
Any other object as notified by the State Government as being beneficial to the public or a section of the public

Acceptable Name for Society

No society can be registered under a name which is identical with or too nearly resembles the title of any other society or anybody corporate which has been previously incorporated under this West Bengal Society Registration Act or any other law. Society names should not contain the following words:

Union, State, Mortgage, Gandhi, Reserve Bank
Any word implying the sanction, approval
Patronage of Central or State Government
Government Emblems and Names are not acceptable
Names prohibited or registered by State or Central Government through executive instructions
Name of Indian Institute or University also cannot be registered

If two societies continue to exist with the same name, Government will send an order to change the name such society has to change its name and alter its memorandum within three months from the date of the order. Note: No change of name will affect the rights and liabilities of society or any legal proceedings by or against the society.

Evidence of Society Registration

Any seven or more individuals associated for any of the objects mentioned above may subscribe their names to a Memorandum of Association (MOA) and file it along with a copy of the regulations (Bye-Laws of Society) with the Registrar for registration of the association as a Society under this Act. Upon registering a society in West Bengal, Certificate of Regulation and Memorandum of Association (MOA) will be issued. These documents serve as evidence for Society registration.

Memorandum of Association (MOA)

The Memorandum of Association will contain the following particulars:

The name of the association
The address of the registered office of the society
The object of the association
The names of the first members of the Governing Body
The names addressed and occupations of the signatories to the memorandum

Note: After registration of society the memorandum will not be changed.

Copy of Regulations - Bye-Laws of Society

The Registrar will not accept any memorandum for registration of society unless a copy of its regulations accompanies it. The regulation contains the following particulars:

The composition of the Governing Body
The manner of election or appointment and resignation or removal a of the members of the Governing Body, the President, the Secretary and other officers
The admission to membership and resignation and removal of members
The maintenance of the register of members and facilities for inspection by the members
The safe custody of the property of the society, including, in particular, the manner of keeping or investing any sums of money of the society
The procedure for holding meetings of the society, quorum, the period of notice for meetings, the method of voting, and the manner of voting by proxy, where such voting is allowed
The maintenance and audit of accounts
The inspection of accounts and the proceedings of meetings, by the members of the society
Any other matter relating to the objects or affairs of the association

Documents Required for Registration

Following documents have to be furnished for registering society in West Bengal

Application Form in Prescribed format.
Proceedings of the first meeting.
Self-attested copies of By-Laws
Self-attested copies of Address and ID Proofs of the office bearers.
Passport size photographs of Executive Committee members.
Executive Committee members ID and address proof.
If the office is in rented premises, registered lease agreement
In case of office is in own premises declaration and no rent is collected from

Processing Time

Society registration can be done within 30 days from the date of application.

Applicable Fee for Registration

West Bengal Society Registration fee structure is tabulated here.

S.No	Service	Fee
1	Society Registration	Rs.150
2	Memorandum of appeal	Rs.70
3	Alteration of Memorandum or Regulations	Rs.50
4	Annual return	Rs.25
5	Change in the composition of the Governing Body or in the holder of the office of the President or the Secretary	Rs.5
6	For certified copy of Memorandum of Association or extract of any document or part of document	Rs.10
7	For duplicate copy of the certificate of Registration	Rs.10

Note: All fees have to be paid in cash

West Bengal Society Registration Procedure

Procedure for registering society under WB Society registration Act is explained in detail below.

Approach Registrar Office

Step 1: Applicant has to submit the Memorandum of Association (MOA) along with a copy of the regulations (Bye-Laws of Society) along with required documents and application to the concerned Registrar. Application Form is reproduced here. [pdf-embedder url="https://www.indiafilings.com/learn/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/West-Bengal-Societies-Registration.pdf" title="West Bengal Societies Registration"] Step 2: On submitting the application and applicable fee, you will be provided with an acknowledgement slip.

Verification

Step 3: Registrar will verify the application, MOM, regulation and supporting documents. The Registrar upon being satisfied that the MOA (Memorandum of association) and the regulation will certify and seal that the society is registered under Society registration Act. The register will update the same into the Register of society.

Get Certificate of Registration

The registrar will also issue a registered copy of MOA and regulation. After obtaining the documents, the society can run legally. Register of society maintained at the Registrar office contains up-to-date information about the registered society. A citizen can get a certified copy of the Memorandum of Association or extract of any document or part of the report by filling an application and pay the applicable fee.