The election of managing committee of housing society plays a crucial role in maintaining transparency and governance. It is a legal requirement that ensures proper functioning and representation of all members within the society.
Let’s explore the current landscape of housing society elections, including the New GR and the election process itself. We will also address the challenges and provide solutions to ensure a smooth election experience. Our comprehensive blog outlines the rules and regulations to follow before, during, and after the election process. You can click here to view the details. In this article, we will look at the present scenario and the four primary problems that might crop up.
Table of Contents
Importance of Housing Society Elections
Election of managing committee of housing society in India are governed by a managing committee elected by the members. The committee handles day-to-day operations, finances, maintenance, and other administrative tasks. Election of managing committee of housing society occur every five years, but in many cases, elections are delayed. The New GR for housing society elections outlines how societies can ensure timely elections while maintaining legal protocols.
Rules for Housing Society Elections
The New GR for housing society elections has introduced several measures to ensure the safety and transparency of the process. Below is a summary of the key rules and regulations societies need to adhere to during the election process:
- Mandatory appointment of a Returning Officer to supervise the election.
- The election date must be notified well in advance.
- The election can be held either in-person or online to ensure maximum participation, especially post-pandemic.
Present Challenges In Election of Managing Committee of Housing Society.
Challenge 1: Ensuring Safety in Physical Elections During Social Distancing
With non-negotiable norms of social distancing doing the rounds, the first challenge is organising a physical election and ensuring complete safety for each one.
Solution : Societies can opt for online elections. This has some advantages :
a. Social Distancing can be practiced.
b. Higher participation since members can cast their votes from anywhere.
c. Promotion of absolute secrecy to ensure elections are free and fair.
Challenge 2: Supervision of Elections During Temporary Member Relocation
With many individuals having moved out temporarily to be closer with their families, supervision of the election process is something to think about.
Solution : The law says a Returning Officer must be appointed to ensure fairness. This can again be done digitally by giving ballot result access to the officer alone.
Challenge 3: Organising the Election Process and Communicating with Residents
Organising the Election. This comprises holding a General Body Meeting to inform about election date, inviting candidatures and making each resident aware of election rules.
Solution: By now, apartment complexes and housing societies have become accustomed to online meetings. If you have included the validity of online meetings in your bye-laws, you are good to go. In your housing society management software, you can arrange meetings for the election of managing committee of housing society. Schedule the meeting and agenda, and send reminders. Choose your preferred mode of online platform.
The minutes of the meeting can be recorded in your management software, and all minutes regarding your election of managing committee of housing society can be sent to invitees. The software can also help you receive candidature, ensuring you give a chance to members not available in the city/town at the moment to submit their candidature. You can also upload documents highlighting the rules of elections within the network of your community. This ensures the information is available to all residents for their perusal at their convenience.
Challenge 4: Managing the Post-Election Handover Process
The post election handover. Usually, the handover from the outgoing management committee is done physically. The outgoing and incumbent members are present and go through all items that are handed over.
Solution : Once again, go digital. Post housing society elections, the handover can happen digitally by merely passing on the login credentials of your housing society management software. This process ensures a smooth transition after the election of managing committee of housing society. The necessary moderators of each module can be edited to include the new moderator.
Apart from these, there is often the question of ensuring a secret ballot system for absolute free and fair elections. Shifting elections online gives your members the trusted privacy of your home to cast their elections. They can easily see the list of the candidates and cast their votes accordingly. Communication regarding start and end of elections, election results, candidacy become easier with complete guarantee that updates have reached all residents.
In case you require more information on how to go digital with your housing society elections, feel free to contact us.