Reminder: new MCS rules require a Form J member list and a Nomination Register

No fresh housing society ruling or circular was found in the last 48 hours, so this is a reminder on record-keeping duties under the Maharashtra Co-operative Societies (Amendment) Rules, 2026. The Rules were notified on 18 June 2026 under section 165 of the Maharashtra Co-operative Societies Act, 1960, and amend the 1961 Rules.

What the Rules change

According to TaxGuru's summary, existing Rule 33 has been substituted with a requirement to maintain the list of members in Form J. Separately, the new Chapter XI-B (Rules 106C-1 to 106C-14) covers nomination under Rule 106C-8, where each joint member files a separate nomination for his or her own share, and a Nomination Register is mandatory.

In plain terms, a nomination is the member's written choice of who the society should recognise after the member's death. The register is the society's own book recording these nominations, so the committee can act without delay when a member passes away.

What this means for housing societies

• Check whether the society keeps its member list in Form J, and update it if an older format is still in use.
• Confirm that a Nomination Register exists and that every member, including each joint member, has a separate nomination on record.
• Where a member has made no nomination, collect one now; without it, the legal heirs have to be invited by public notice in two local newspapers and on the notice board before admission, as reported by the Free Press Journal.
• Keep the Form J list and the register with the secretary and make them available at audit and inspection.

The commencement date of these provisions is not stated in the sources reviewed, and the full Form J content and any compliance deadline were not verified. Committees should read the notified text on the Maharashtra Government gazette or consult their auditor before relying on this summary. Revised Model Bye-laws are still awaited.