RWAs seek to register as MACSs

Hyderabad:Many resident welfare associations (RWAs) are applying with the cooperation department to convert themselves into a mutually aided cooperative society (MACS) because of pressure from their members.

A resident living in a gated community in Nallagandla said that MACS would be more accountable than RWAs as each and every case will be heard by the registrar of societies.

“If a resident has a complaint, he can also approach the tribunal under MACS. If we are not satisfied with the RWAs, the only option is approaching the court. Under RWAs, there is a chance to suppress the complaint as the meetings are held in groups in the housing society,” he said.

Others, however, differed. “There is hardly any difference between these two. MACS is being used to settle scores by those who want to oppose decisions taken by the RWAs,” said Balram Vammi, president of Aparna Western Meadows Owners Welfare Society at Kondakal.

B.T. Srinivasan, general secretary of the United Federation of Resident Welfare Associations (Uferwas) said that they have also applied for MACS.

The issue traces back to an order by the commissioner and inspector-general (registration and stamps) T. Chiranjeevulu in 2019. He banned registration of RWA if they were collecting funds for events other than maintenance without leaving a paper trail. However, it was not implemented properly for three years.

In 2023, when Navin Mittal became commissioner, he issued another order stating that if the RWAs collected funds for organising cultural programmes and activities, excluding games where money is involved, they can be registered.

However, an individual approached the Telangana High Court against the 2023 order and the implementation of the 2019 order. The matter is in the High Court.

A verification by Deccan Chronicle revealed that the 2019 order was issued after a RWA lost a case against a builder in 2013. The RWA, which lost the case, stated that it collected funds only for maintenance but there was no official record of it holding cultural programmes, festival celebrations, games, events.

As per norms, if a resident or a group of residents raises a complaint with the RWA it will be resolved by the members. The complainant can approach the court if the person is not satisfied with the resolution. With MACS, every complaint is attended by the Registrar of Societies and the resident can also approach the co-operative society Tribunal.

While RWAs hold elections once in two years, MACS holds elections every year. For both, income-tax filing is mandatory.