Resident welfare associations (RWAs), cooperative housing societies, and charitable trusts across the country have appealed to the Ministry of Corporate Affairs and the Ministry of Cooperation to defer the implementation of the new accounting norms scheduled to come into force from July 1, 2025.

The revised norms, which mandate the adoption of uniform digital accounting formats, real-time financial disclosures, and third-party audits for societies with annual receipts above ₹20 lakh, have raised concerns about readiness, cost burden, and lack of trained personnel at the grassroots level.

In a joint memorandum submitted this week, multiple state-level federations representing thousands of societies urged the government to extend the deadline by at least six months to enable capacity building and system upgrades.

“While we support transparency, the abrupt rollout has left smaller societies struggling with software upgrades and auditor access,” said R. K. Banerjee, President of the Maharashtra Federation of RWAs. “Many societies still rely on manual bookkeeping, and the digital shift needs more preparation.”

Societies in semi-urban and rural areas have raised particular concerns, citing limited digital infrastructure and a lack of professional accounting support. Several societies have reported that existing treasurers and committee members are unfamiliar with the new compliance tools.

The Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) has recommended phased implementation, starting with larger urban societies. Meanwhile, the Ministry is reviewing feedback and is expected to issue a clarification next week.

Experts believe a staggered approach may balance the goals of transparency and practical feasibility. Until then, societies continue to hope for a reprieve, arguing that compliance without readiness could create more confusion than clarity.