CHANDIGARH
HIGH COURT: Thursday – High Court has issued notice to the Secretary
of DLF Valley Resident Welfare Society, Panchkula, for not supplying information
about its functioning to a member resident. The petitioner Pardeep Rapria, a
practicing lawyer in the High Court, in his petition has argued that being a
resident of ‘DLF Valley Panchkula’, is the member of ‘Valley Resident
Welfare Society’, and he and other residents have financial as well as other
statutory rights in the overall functioning of this society. However, the
Governing Body of the aforesaid residential society has not been elected by the
resident/members of the society; rather the same has been formed by the DLF
Universal Limited, consisting of its own officials and other person having
direct interests in the affairs of aforesaid company. Therefore, suspecting
that affairs of the Residents Welfare Society were marred by conflict of
financial interests and maladministration, he filed an RTI Application seeking
information relating to the accounts, balance-sheet, maintenance, interest bearing
maintenance security (IBMS) available with the Society. State
Information Commission, on Petitioner’s appeal, also directed the society to
allow inspection of record and provide information. However, the the officer
bearers of the ‘Residents Welfare Society’ have malafidely delayed and
blocked the requisite information; with an intention to defeat the residents’
right to discuss and debate the budget, balance-sheet, accounts books, audit
report of the society, during Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Society on 23rd
September, 2018. Mr. Rapria argued before the High Court that without access to
the information about the accounts, maintenance charges etc. the AGM is
meaningless for residents. Petitioner argued that not only his rights; but also
the rights of more one thousand residents have been deprived of their right to
know the affairs of Society and discuss and debate the same during the
forthcoming AGM.
After hearing the arguments of
Petitioner and keeping in view the urgency and sensitivity of the matter the HC
has issued notice to the Secretary of the Residents Welfare Society, for
hearing on Monday, i.e., on 17th September, 2018. The decision of
the High Court will have far reaching impact on the functioning of numerous
residents’ welfare associations, often facing allegations of maladministration
and financial irregularities from residents.
HIGH COURT ORDER
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