MUMBAI: Dissident members of the Bombay Taximen’s Cooperative Housing Society are preparing to contact the district deputy registrar (DDR) regarding the contentious special general meeting (SGM) that took place on Sunday, during which redevelopment rights were granted to Syba Spaces.
During the SGM held at Taximen’s Colony, tensions escalated, prompting police presence to maintain order as opposing groups clashed over the decision to finalize Syba Spaces for redeveloping the aging complex.
Dissenters raised concerns about a lack of transparency, claiming they were not allowed to record the meeting despite notifying the DDR and the managing committee on April 24 of their intention to do so.
The society, situated on an 8.5-acre plot near the Mithi River in Kurla, comprises 686 residential units and 30 shops across 29 wings.
Some residents asserted that attendance at the meeting was below half, with Girish Mishra, a managing committee member aligned with dissenters, stating, “Out of 686 members, around 300 opposed the move. A quorum of at least 457 members was necessary. How could a quorum be established with such substantial opposition?”
Mishra noted that six of the 18 managing committee members were against the redevelopment agreement.
He accused the developer of attempting to entice residents with cheques amounting to Rs 1.53 lakh, arguing, “No development agreement has been signed yet, and making such offers at this stage seems aimed at securing quorum, violating protocols.”
Mishra questioned the overall conduct of the meeting, indicating that it was scheduled for 3 PM, and if quorum was not achieved, it should be adjourned after 30 minutes. However, DDR observers permitted the assembly to continue with fewer than 200 participants until 5 PM.
“According to guidelines, the meeting should have concluded by 5:30 PM, yet officials remained until 11 PM, which raises serious concerns,” he added.
While dissenting residents expressed their support for redevelopment, they opposed perceived favoritism towards a local developer, despite 17 prominent developers having purchased request for proposal documents. “All rules were disregarded, and officials condoned the managing committee’s overreach, even in police presence,” claimed Shaikh Gulam Jilani, another dissenting member.
Citing previous court decisions, Jilani emphasized that members have the right to document general body proceedings for transparency. “Why were we denied permission to record the meeting?” he questioned.
Jilani noted that he had formally requested permission to record the proceedings using a mobile phone or camera from both the managing committee and the DDR on April 24 but received no acknowledgment.
“We will now seek an official report of the meeting to determine our next steps. If rules were broken in the presence of government officials, we will challenge it in court,” he stated.
The SGM’s decision to delegate redevelopment rights to Syba Spaces has significantly divided the community, which is situated near the Bandra Kurla Complex.
The dissenting members are calling for a new, transparent ballot process involving multiple developers. “We want voting among all shortlisted developers, including Runwal, Chandak, and Syba,” Mishra said, adding that the managing committee prematurely selected the developer and conducted door-to-door campaigns for consent signatures, labeling the SGM an “eyewash” with pre-decided outcomes.
