India, March 7 -- In an important ruling, the Bombay high court has upheld the validity of a March 2016 circular issued by the registrar of cooperative societies, stipulating that a minimum 51% of flat or shop buyers have to jointly apply for the registration of a cooperative housing society (CHS).

"The registrar is fully empowered to prescribe that 51% flat purchasers must join together for registration of [a] cooperative housing society under [the] circular dated 23 March 2016," said a single judge bench of justice Sandeep Marne.

The issue was raised in a petition filed by Prakash Saave, promoter of Harmony Plaza Premises Cooperative Society in Boisar. Saave had moved the high court after the divisional joint registrar of cooperative ...