Expert Jurist LLP

Legal

Terms of Service

Q: Are the MCS Act forms free to download?

Yes. All 24 MCS Act Appendix forms are completely free to generate as PDFs on SocietySeWA. No login required to browse or download.

Q: What is eManager service by SocietySeWA?

eManager is a fully remote society management service delivered by Expert Jurist LLP, backed by 20+ practising advocates, handling all MCS Act compliance, AGM management, legal notices, registrar correspondence, and member management for Maharashtra co-operative housing societies.

Q: Which areas does SocietySeWA serve?

SocietySeWA serves co-operative housing societies across all of Maharashtra, with primary focus on Navi Mumbai, Mumbai, Pune, Thane, and Raigad districts.

Q: What is the sinking fund percentage for Maharashtra housing societies?

Minimum 0.25% per annum of each flat's construction cost, as certified by the architect at the time of construction. This is prescribed by Rule 106C-11(2) of the Maharashtra Co-operative Societies (Amendment) Rules 2026, effective 18 June 2026.

Q: What is the AGM quorum for a Maharashtra housing society?

Two-third of the total members or 20 members, whichever is less. Per Rule 106C-13(3)(e) of the Maharashtra Co-operative Societies (Amendment) Rules 2026.

Q: How does a Maharashtra housing society recover unpaid dues?

By filing Form Y-6 under section 154B-29 of the Maharashtra Co-operative Societies Act 1960, before the Joint/Deputy/Assistant Registrar of Co-operative Societies, with a court fee of ₹100. The Registrar issues a recovery certificate in Form Y-7, which is enforceable as arrears of land revenue under the Maharashtra Land Revenue Code 1966. No separate execution application is needed. Per Rule 106C-14 of the 2026 Amendment Rules.

Q: What are the registration fees for a Maharashtra housing society?

Under Rule 106C-3(2)(d) of the 2026 Amendment Rules: Tenant co-partnership up to 25 flats: ₹2,500; 26-50 flats: ₹5,000; 51-250 flats: ₹7,500; above 250 flats: ₹10,000. Backward class and Lok Awas Yojana societies: ₹50. Tenant ownership and other housing societies: ₹5,000.

Q: What is the maximum interest rate on defaulted maintenance dues?

The Maharashtra Co-operative Societies (Amendment) Rules 2026 cap interest on defaulted maintenance charges at 12% simple interest per annum (Rule 106C-12). The rate must be fixed by a general body resolution — the managing committee cannot unilaterally set a higher rate.

These Terms govern your use of SocietySeWA (societysewa.in) — run by Expert Jurist LLP and Happy People Foundation for their respective services — and the Happy People Foundation community site.

Effective: 1 January 2025 · Last updated: June 2026

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Not Legal Advice

Documents generated on SocietySeWA are standard administrative forms and are not a substitute for professional legal advice. You are responsible for verifying their suitability for your specific situation.

1. About These Terms

These Terms of Service ("Terms") govern your access to and use of the SocietySeWA platform, run by Expert Jurist LLP ("EJL", a law firm) and Happy People Foundation ("HPF", a registered Section 8 company) — together "we", "us", "our" — for their respective services, namely: — societysewa.in ("SocietySeWA" or "the Portal") — HPF delivers the free services on the Portal (MCS Act forms, Bye-Laws Browser, Smart Wizard, Compliance Calendar, and the society directory) as part of its social-impact mission; Expert Jurist LLP delivers and bills for all paid professional services offered through the Portal (Appointment Booking, eManager, MCS Act Training) — happypeople.foundation ("the Community Site") — HPF's own community and NGO programme website, operated independently by HPF By accessing or using either platform, you agree to be bound by these Terms. If you do not agree, please discontinue use immediately. Expert Jurist LLP is a law firm and the owner and operator of the SocietySeWA platform. Happy People Foundation is a registered Section 8 company operating from Office No C-216/218, Tower 8, Information Technology Center, BRSCCL, CBD Belapur, Navi Mumbai — 400614, Maharashtra, India, and is Expert Jurist LLP's partner NGO for the free, social-impact services delivered on SocietySeWA. HPF holds no ownership interest in the Portal, its brand, or its content.

2. Eligibility

To use SocietySeWA, you must: — Be at least 18 years of age — Be a resident of India, or a member or office-bearer of an Indian co-operative housing society registered under the Maharashtra Co-operative Societies Act, 1960 — Provide accurate and complete registration information — Not be barred from using online services under any applicable Indian law By registering, you represent and warrant that you meet all of the above conditions.

3. Services Provided

SocietySeWA offers the following services: Free Services (delivered by Happy People Foundation, EJL's partner NGO, as part of SocietySeWA's social-impact mission): — Generation of all 24+ MCS Act Appendix forms (membership application, nomination, transfer, indemnity bonds, IT undertakings, etc.) — Bye-Laws Browser — searchable database of all 175 Maharashtra Model Bye-Laws 2014 — Smart Wizard — guided multi-step document generation based on your scenario — Compliance Calendar — key deadlines for society committees — Society Directory — searchable listing of housing societies Paid Services (delivered and billed directly by Expert Jurist LLP, the platform owner): — Appointment Booking — scheduled consultations with EJL's advocates and society-management experts — eManager — fully remote society management (separate service agreement applies) — MCS Act Training — expert-led certification courses (separate enrolment terms apply) All free services are delivered by HPF on an "as available" basis. Paid services are contracted directly with Expert Jurist LLP; HPF is not a party to, and bears no liability for, those engagements. EJL and HPF each reserve the right to modify, suspend, or discontinue their respective services at any time with reasonable notice where possible.

4. Not Legal Advice

IMPORTANT: SocietySeWA is an informational and administrative tool. Nothing on this platform — including generated forms, bye-law summaries, compliance checklists, or any content — constitutes legal advice. The MCS Act forms generated on this platform are standard-format documents based on the Maharashtra Co-operative Societies Act, 1960 and the MCS Model Bye-Laws 2014. Their acceptance by your housing society, the Registrar of Co-operative Societies, or any other authority is not guaranteed and depends on the specific circumstances of each case. You are solely responsible for: — Verifying the accuracy of all information you enter into forms — Ensuring documents meet the requirements of your specific society and jurisdiction — Obtaining independent legal advice where your matter is complex or disputed HPF and SocietySeWA expressly disclaim all liability for any loss or damage arising from reliance on information provided through our platforms.

5. User Accounts

When you create a SocietySeWA account: — You are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of your login credentials — You are responsible for all activity that occurs under your account — You must notify us immediately at support@societysewa.in if you suspect unauthorised access to your account — You must not share your account with other individuals — You must not create multiple accounts to circumvent any platform restrictions HPF reserves the right to suspend or terminate accounts that violate these Terms or that are used fraudulently or abusively.

6. Acceptable Use

You agree to use our platforms only for lawful purposes and in accordance with these Terms. You must not: — Use the platforms to generate fraudulent, forged, or misleading legal documents — Commercially resell, sublicence, or redistribute forms or platform content without written permission from HPF — Use automated scripts, bots, scrapers, or bulk generation tools — Attempt to reverse-engineer, disassemble, or tamper with any part of the platform — Upload or transmit malware, viruses, or harmful code — Impersonate any person or entity, including HPF staff or society office-bearers — Use the platform in any way that could damage, overburden, or impair its infrastructure — Collect other users' personal data from the platform Violations may result in immediate account suspension and, where appropriate, reporting to law enforcement authorities.

7. Intellectual Property

The SocietySeWA name, logo, website design, code, and all original content (including bye-law summaries, platform text, form commentary, and educational materials) are the intellectual property of Expert Jurist LLP, protected under Indian copyright law. Happy People Foundation is Expert Jurist LLP's partner NGO, contributing content and delivering the Portal's free, social-impact services, and holds no ownership interest in the Portal, its brand, or its content. The underlying MCS Act forms and bye-law text are based on legislation and official government publications that are in the public domain. However, our formatting, indexing, commentary, translations, and platform presentation of this content remain proprietary. You may use generated documents for their intended personal or society-management purpose. You may not reproduce, publish, or commercially distribute platform content or design elements without written permission.

8. Payments

Paid services (appointments, eManager subscription, training courses) are billed and delivered by Expert Jurist LLP and processed via Razorpay, a licensed payment aggregator. By making a payment, you enter into a direct service agreement with Expert Jurist LLP, not with HPF, and you also agree to Razorpay's Terms of Service. All prices are in Indian Rupees (INR) and are inclusive of applicable taxes unless stated otherwise. Expert Jurist LLP reserves the right to change pricing for paid services with reasonable advance notice. Price changes do not apply to services already paid for. For our Refund Policy, please see the separate Refund Policy page at societysewa.in/refund.

9. Limitation of Liability

To the maximum extent permitted by applicable Indian law, HPF and Expert Jurist LLP shall not be liable for: — Any indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages — Loss of data, income, profits, goodwill, or business opportunities — Any damage resulting from reliance on forms or information generated through the platform — Any interruption, suspension, or discontinuation of services — Any unauthorised access to or alteration of your data despite our security measures Our aggregate liability to you for any claim arising from your use of the free platform shall not exceed the total amount paid by you to HPF (if any) in the twelve months preceding the claim. Our aggregate liability for any claim arising from a paid service shall not exceed the total amount paid by you to Expert Jurist LLP for that service in the twelve months preceding the claim. These limitations apply even if HPF or Expert Jurist LLP has been advised of the possibility of such damages.

10. Third-Party Links

Our platforms may contain links to third-party websites, including government portals, regulatory bodies, and partner organisations. These links are provided for your convenience only. HPF does not endorse, control, or assume responsibility for the content, privacy practices, or accuracy of any third-party website. Your use of third-party sites is entirely at your own risk and subject to their respective terms and policies.

11. Governing Law & Dispute Resolution

These Terms are governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the Republic of India. Any dispute arising from or relating to these Terms or your use of our platforms shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts at Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra. We encourage you to contact us in the first instance at support@societysewa.in to resolve any concern informally before initiating formal proceedings.

12. Changes to These Terms

HPF may update these Terms at any time. When we make material changes, we will notify registered users by email and update the effective date on this page. Continued use of the platforms after updated Terms are posted constitutes your acceptance. If you do not agree with any revised Terms, your sole remedy is to stop using the platforms and delete your account.

13. Contact

For questions about these Terms: Expert Jurist LLP & Happy People Foundation — SocietySeWA Office No C-216/218, Tower 8, Information Technology Center, BRSCCL, CBD Belapur, Navi Mumbai — 400614 Email: support@societysewa.in Phone: 022-49791116 You may also reach Expert Jurist LLP directly at expertjurist.com, or Happy People Foundation at happypeople.foundation.

Questions about these Terms?

Email support@societysewa.in and we will respond within 5 working days.