Chapter I PRELIMINARY

1. (1) This Regulation may be called the Lakshadweep Registration of Societies Regulation, 2025.
2. (2) It extends to the whole of the Union territory of Lakshadweep.
3. (3) It shall come into force on such date, as the Administrator may, by notification in the Official Gazette, appoint.

In this Regulation, unless the context otherwise requires,—

1. (a) “Administrator” means the Administrator of the Union territory of Lakshadweep appointed by the President under article 239 of the Constitution;
2. (b) “bye-laws” means the bye-laws of a society;
3. (c) “defunct society” means a society which is not carrying on any business or operation or has not filed its annual or other returns with the Registrar continuously for such period, as may be notified;
4. (d) “document” includes register of members, books of account, returns, annual returns, other statutory registers, summons, notice, requisition, order, other legal processes, whether issued or kept in pursuance of this Regulation or any other law for the time being in force in the Union territory of Lakshadweep;
5. (e) “elected member” means a member of a society who is duly elected as an office bearer of the Governing Body;
6. (f) “financial year” means the period commencing from the 1st day of April of a year and ending with the 31st day of March of the following year;
7. (g) “General Body” means the body of all members of a society;
8. (h) “Governing Body” means the Executive Committee or the Managing Committee constituted or elected by the members of the General Body and responsible for the management of day-to-day affairs of the society;
   • (i) “Government” means the Administration of the Union territory of Lakshadweep headed by the Administrator;
9. (j) “major” means a person who has completed the age of eighteen years;
10. (k) “member” means a person who fulfils the eligibility criteria for becoming a member of a society, as specified in this Regulation and has been admitted as a member of the society in accordance with its bye-laws;
11. (l) “Memorandum” means the Memorandum of Association of a society in accordance with the provisions of this Regulation;
12. (m) “notification” means a notification published in the Official Gazette and the expression “notified” shall be construed accordingly;
13. (n) “office bearer” includes the President, Vice-President, Secretary, Joint Secretary, Manager, Treasurer or any other member of the Governing Body empowered under the bye-laws to give directions in regard to the conduct of the business of a society;
14. (o) “Official Gazette” means the Official Gazette of the Union territory of the Lakshadweep;
15. (p) “prescribed” means prescribed by rules made by the Administrator under this Regulation;
16. (q) “public notice” means a notice published in at least one or two newspapers widely circulating in the area, of which one shall be in vernacular language and the other shall be duly displayed on the notice board of the office of the Registrar;
17. (r) “Registrar” means the Registrar of societies appointed under sub-section (2) of section 4; “Registrar General” means the Registrar General appointed by the Government under sub-section (1) of section 4;
18. (t) “society” means a society duly registered under the provisions of this Regulation;
19. (u) “special resolution” means a resolution passed in a meeting of the General Body, in which at least forty per cent. of the members entitled to vote are present and the resolution is approved by three-fifths of the members so present and voting;
    • (v) “State Aided Society” means a Society which is in receipt of any recurring grant or financial aid from the Government or a local body or any of its entities to manage its facilities or institutions established in accordance with the objectives set out in its Memorandum or bye-laws and shall include a society where any one or more of its institution is receiving aid;
20. (w) “Union territory” means the Union territory of Lakshadweep.