The Office of the Central Registrar of Cooperative Societies (CRCS) under the Ministry of Cooperation has issued a stern reminder notice to over 1,059 Multi-State Cooperative Societies (MSCS) for failing to file their mandatory annual returns for the financial year 2024–25 within the prescribed deadline.
As per the official communication issued on Tuesday, all defaulting societies have been directed to comply with Section 120 of the Multi-State Cooperative Societies (MSCS) Act, 2002 by filing their returns on the CRCS portal within 15 days, failing which strict regulatory action will be initiated.
The list released with the notice reveals a wide spectrum of defaulters, including around 200 credit cooperative societies, along with several bank employees’ thrift and credit societies, agricultural cooperatives, housing societies, and multi-purpose federations.
The geographical spread underscores the widespread nature of the issue, with defaulting entities located across multiple states such as Maharashtra, Delhi, Gujarat, Bihar, Kerala, Karnataka, Chhattisgarh, Assam, Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Haryana, Jharkhand, Jammu & Kashmir, Goa, and Himachal Pradesh, indicating a pan-India compliance gap in the cooperative sector.
A closer examination of the list, however, shows that Maharashtra accounts for the highest number of defaulting societies, emerging as the most prominent contributor to overall non-compliance. The document reflects a dense concentration of Maharashtra-based cooperatives across districts such as Ahmednagar, Beed, Solapur, Pune, Mumbai, and Jalgaon.
In comparison, while states like Delhi, Gujarat, Kerala, and Karnataka are also represented, their presence appears relatively scattered. The dominance of Maharashtra highlights not only the scale of its cooperative network but also significant compliance gaps within one of India’s most cooperative-intensive states.
The CRCS has warned that non-compliance will attract penalties under Section 104 of the Act, including a fine of up to Rs 1 lakh and an additional Rs 10,000 per day for continuing violations. More significantly, board members of such defaulting societies may face disqualification from contesting elections for five years under Section 43(2)(e).
“This will be presumed as non-functioning of the society if returns are not filed within the stipulated 15 days,” the notice stated, signaling a stricter regulatory stance.
The move is part of the government’s broader push to strengthen transparency, accountability, and governance standards in the cooperative sector. With the deadline now in place, attention will be on how many societies respond within the stipulated period, as the CRCS prepares to initiate action against chronic defaulters.
The complete list of defaulting societies can be accessed via the link below.