MUMBAI, July 26 -- A Cooperative Housing Society cannot levy penalties exceeding Rs.5,000 in a financial year on any member, the Maharashtra State Co-operative Appellate Court has ruled while dismissing an appeal in a parking dispute involving a Dadar housing society. In its July 18 order, the appellate court upheld an interim order of the Co-operative Court restraining Landmark Co-operative Housing Society from imposing parking fines on member Deepali Bhube. The court also directed the society to provide her with a convenient parking space and refrain from charging daily penalties until the dispute is finally decided. The dispute arose after Bhube complained that her allotted parking slot had become sandwiched between other parking spaces, making it difficult to use. Despite repeated requests to resolve the issue, the society allegedly failed to act and instead imposed a penalty of Rs.200 per day for parking in an open space, collecting Rs.1,800 over nine days. Bhube approached the Co-operative Court, arguing that the society's actions had caused her continuous inconvenience and hardship. Seeking interim relief, she requested that the penalties be stopped and that she be allotted a usable parking space. The trial court found that Bhube had established a prima facie case and that the balance of convenience lay in her favour. The court directed the society to earmark and provide her with a suitable parking space within 15 days, ensuring free ingress and egress in accordance with sanctioned plans and the society's bye-law 165, pending the final outcome of the case....