India, Nov. 22 -- Flat buyers and purchasers of commercial tenements cannot become members of the cooperative housing society in which their premises are located without clearing outstanding dues pertaining to their premises, the Bombay High Court ruled on Thursday.

"Membership in a cooperative society is not an unconditional right," justice Amit Borkar said while striking down orders passed by the divisional joint registrar and the deputy registrar of cooperative societies, R/N ward, compelling a cooperative society in Dahisar to accept a commercial tenement buyer as a member although the buyer did not clear the previous owner's outstanding dues worth Rs.58 lakh.

The case dates back to April 2021 when T&M Services Consulting Pvt Ltd pu...