Jal Vayu Vihar Noida: All residents officially attain voting rights

All residents of Jal Vayu Vihar now officially have voting rights. On July 5, 2022, the housing commissioner VK Mishra confirmed his earlier order of June 2 providing equal voting rights to all residents including 'nominal members' of the society. Thus, all residents will participate in the management committee (JVSAS) elections held in January 2023.

As per the order of June 2, 2022, an order was given under section 14 (1) that every owner will have the right to vote. The commissioner had provided a month's notice to Jal Vayu Vihar Sehkari Awas Samiti JVSAS to amend their bylaws. As JVSAS failed to do so, Housing Commissioner VK Mishra made his previous order official on July 5, 2022, through his second order under section 14 (2).

Jal Vayu Vihar is one of the oldest residential colonies in sectors 21 and 25, where around 3700 residents live. As gathered, for over two decades, around 2000 residents who did not belong to the Airforce and naval community were considered "nominal residents" and were not allowed to vote in the society elections. The society's bylaws maintained that only the airforce community and naval community could vote.

Also read: Jal Vayu Vihar Noida- All members attain voting rights

2200 out of 3700 house owners stand benefitted from this order that residents call historic. Earlier voting rights were granted only to Airforce and Naval people, who are in the minority today with Army, NTPC, BHEL and Civilians being 65%.

A section of residents had been seeking legal remedies to ensure inclusion in the voting process since 2016. In 2021, the group approached the Housing Board over the matter. They have finally got their voting rights by ruling on this petition.

Resident Manjul Thapliyal, who fought a long battle for voting rights, described it as a victory for all his colleagues and says, "It would give ample opportunity to everyone to operate the sector better. We had been fighting this battle for the last 7 years and residents are elated. This order has brought a big relief to 2200 owners. Apart from legal initiations in High Court, RTIs, CPGRAMS, Noida Authority, media, a lot of integration was done on political and administrative fronts."

Umesh Batra, a resident of Sector 21 says, "We are very happy that we, the residents of Jal Vayu Vihar have the right to vote. We wholeheartedly welcome the order 14(2) and sincerely thank the housing commissioner."

Major Karan Chouhan, a resident of Sector 25 says, "We soldiers also did not have the basic right to vote. We are delighted with this order."

Umesh Kumar, a resident of sector 21 says, "The order has come as a sigh of relief. All the residents were upset by these unfair bylaws."