Need online portal to address complaints of society members: Experts

As per the experts, on an average 10-15 queries and complaints are received at federation level and registrar gets 100 complaints on an average. Representation pic

To bring more transparency and accountability while handling cases of arbitration, conciliation and mediation by the Registrar, the State Cooperative Housing Federation has insisted on the need for digitalisation of the cooperative department. This measure is also important to keep cases of corruption under control. Interestingly, the federation has agreed to foot the cost to avoid any delay in its implementation.

Advocate Shreeprasad Parab, Expert Director, Maharashtra State Co-operative Housing Federation Ltd, said, "In Maharashtra, there are more than 1,25,000 housing societies, comprising over 30,00,000 members and more than 1,20,00,000 people residing in it. The majority of the disputes in housing societies come before the Registrar and considerable time of the cooperative registrar's office is spent in resolving disputes."

For ease of doing business

"The co-operative sector needs an online portal for i) Registration of housing societies, which shall help in the growth of the co-operative movement. ii) Dispute redressal mechanism shall be completely online right from filing of complaint till the uploading of the orders on the portal after hearing the parties online to provide uniformity in the adjudication process. Implementing the principles of arbitration, conciliation and mediation to save the quantum of time of the Registrar's office. iii) Deemed conveyance hearing shall be online with an increase in adjudication mechanism to benefit the societies with legal and valid title and iv) Single window system for self-redevelopment of housing societies," said Advocate Parab.

"In 2017-2018, many orders were uploaded on the site, however, suddenly the process was stopped. Thus, housing societies need a portal for peaceful living, educate on cooperative principles, and provide updated information about acts, rules, bye-laws, government notifications, circulars and FAQs. It should be a gateway to file grievances," he concluded.

B R Mhatre, Secretary, Navi Mumbai Cooperative Housing Federation, who was also present for a recently held discussion said, "Today non-occupancy charges and parking issues are two major concerns that bother members staying in housing societies. Such complaints are forwarded to the registrar. Issues like charges that society can levy towards transfer fees, what and how the society books need to be maintained, etc, are trivial matters, which can be handled at the federation level itself."

"Like the MahaRERA portal, where the person can file a complaint at a nominal charge, the same can be levied for online complaints at official portals. There are over 200 registrars across state, and each of them can upload their orders and circulars, which will bring in faster resolution and more transparency. At present on an average 10 to 15 queries and complaints are received at district cooperative housing federation level and registrar on an average gets 100 complaints," explained Mhatre.

A high ranking officer from the Cooperative Department, Pune, on condition of anonymity said, "The need of the hour is to have an online grievances redressal mechanism, which will become an interface between the cooperative housing societies in the state and the respective District Cooperative Housing Federations. Such an interface mechanism will help in filtering trivial cases." He further said the talks are on, and hence cannot state any specific period as to when it would be implemented.

Anup Kumar, Principal Secretary (Co-operation and Marketing), Maharashtra and Anil Kawade, Commissioner, Cooperation and Registrar of Cooperative Societies, Pune, were not available for comment.