UP CM Yogi Adityanath today, while chairing a high-level meeting at his official residence, emphasized the need to replace the Societies Registration Act, 1860 with a new law in the state.
CM Yogi said that the registration, renewal, and transparent management of the assets of registered societies require modern and practical provisions. The current Act lacks clear rules to ensure transparency and accountability, dissolve or cancel inactive or suspicious organizations, safeguard property, and resolve disputes related to membership, management, and elections in a time-bound manner. Similarly, there are insufficient provisions for financial discipline, audits, and preventing misuse of funds. Hence, a new, updated Societies Registration Act is required.
The Chief Minister stated that the new law must ensure transparency, accountability, and protection of members’ interests. To prevent arbitrary sale of assets by some with vested interests, strong mechanisms should be introduced, whether for trusts or societies. He also noted that appointing an administrator in case of disputes is not appropriate; instead, the management committee itself should decide how to function even in adverse situations, with minimal interference from the government or local administration.
He pointed out that Uttar Pradesh currently has over 8 lakh registered societies, working in fields like education, health, social harmony, rural development, industry, and sports. Therefore, their governance, membership, elections, and financial discipline must be streamlined. The law should also provide for the dissolution of inactive or doubtful societies, secure asset management, and speedy resolution of disputes related to membership, management differences, financial irregularities, and elections.
The CM further said that the process of registration and renewal should be online, KYC-based, and time-bound. Financial accountability and auditing mechanisms must be strengthened.
Directing that the new law be prepared at the earliest, Yogi Adityanath stressed that all provisions should be framed in such a way that registered societies can perform socially useful work more effectively while promoting transparency and good governance.