Housing societies in the middle of it now

NEW DELHI: House that! New registrar of cooperative societies Satya Gopal has brought the official-builder nexus crashing down with one stroke, ruling that a housing society''s managing committee cannot admit new members at its discretion.
This move means buyers of cooperative society housing flats will no longer have to shell out hefty premiums, usually in lakhs.Opening the doors of affordable housing to the middle class, Gopal said, "The managing committee will have to advertise vacancies in leading national dailies, invite applications and draw lots in the presence of a representative of the registrar''s office." He added that these rules have been upheld by the high court as well a January 2003 order.
What''s more, the registrar has taken a decision not to revive defunct societies. "If a society has not been following rules such as holding annual audits or holding elections, then it cannot stake claim to land," he said. There are about a 100 such societies, registered in the city between 1985-1990. Many are in the queue for land from DDA.