Terms & Conditions of Membership and Use
1. Acceptance of Terms
By creating an account, accepting these terms at first login, or using the Vishwamangal Business Forum portal ("the Portal") in any manner, you agree to be bound by these Terms & Conditions, our Privacy Policy, and the consent you provide under the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023. If you do not agree, you must not use the Portal and may contact the Foundation to close your account.
2. Eligibility and Accounts
2.1 Membership is open to persons aged 18 years or above engaged in a lawful business or profession, subject to approval by the relevant forum's membership committee and the Foundation.
2.2 You are responsible for the accuracy of the information you provide (including business name, category, address, and KYC documents) and for keeping it up to date.
2.3 Your login credentials are personal to you. You must keep your password confidential, change any temporary password at first login as required, and notify the Foundation immediately of any suspected unauthorised use of your account. Actions performed under your account are deemed to be yours.
3. Category Exclusivity and Forum Rules
3.1 Each forum admits, as far as practicable, one member per business category. The Foundation may in its discretion resolve category disputes, redefine categories, or transfer members between categories or forums.
3.2 Members are expected to attend forum meetings regularly. Attendance is recorded (Present, Absent, Late, Medical, Substitute) and may be considered in membership renewal decisions.
4. Referrals, One-to-Ones and Business Conduct
4.1 Referrals passed through the Portal must be genuine, given in good faith, and used solely for the business purpose for which they were given. Contact details received through a referral must not be added to marketing lists, resold, or shared with third parties without the contact's consent.
4.2 Thank-You-For-Closed-Business (TYFCB) values reported should be honest, good-faith figures. The Foundation may rely on reported figures for recognition and reporting.
4.3 You must deal with fellow members, visitors, and referred contacts honestly and professionally. Harassment, discrimination, misleading claims, and unlawful conduct are prohibited.
5. Fees, Payments and Receipts
5.1 Membership is subject to joining and renewal fees as notified by the Foundation from time to time. Fees are payable in advance for the membership period recorded on your receipt.
5.2 System-generated receipts are issued for payments recorded on the Portal. Unless required by law, fees are non-refundable and non-transferable, including upon resignation, suspension, or termination of membership.
6. KYC and Document Verification
6.1 Members must upload the personal and business KYC documents requested by the Foundation. Certain Portal features remain locked until your KYC documents are verified by an authorised administrator.
6.2 Uploaded documents are watermarked, stored on private storage, and accessible only to you and authorised Foundation administrators. Submitting forged, altered, or another person's documents is grounds for immediate termination and may be reported to authorities.
7. Acceptable Use
You must not: (a) use the Portal for any unlawful purpose; (b) upload malicious code or attempt to breach Portal security; (c) scrape, bulk-download, or misuse the member directory or any member's personal data; (d) impersonate any person; (e) post content that is defamatory, obscene, hateful, or infringes any third party's rights; or (f) use the Portal to promote schemes such as multi-level marketing, gambling, or money circulation.
8. Suspension and Termination
8.1 The Foundation may suspend or terminate your account, with or without notice, for breach of these terms, non-payment of fees, conduct harmful to the Foundation or its members, failure of KYC verification, or as decided by the Foundation's governing body in the interest of the community.
8.2 Upon termination, your directory profile is removed from member view. Records required for legal, accounting, and audit purposes are retained per the Privacy Policy.
9. Intellectual Property
The Portal, its design, and the Foundation's name and marks belong to the Foundation or its licensors. You retain rights in the content you upload but grant the Foundation a non-exclusive licence to store, display, and process it for operating the Portal.
10. Disclaimers and Limitation of Liability
10.1 The Portal is provided "as is". The Foundation does not guarantee uninterrupted availability, and does not warrant the accuracy of member-provided information or the outcome of any referral or business dealing between members. Business transactions between members are solely between those members.
10.2 To the maximum extent permitted by law, the Foundation's aggregate liability arising out of the Portal shall not exceed the membership fees paid by you for the current membership period. The Foundation is not liable for indirect or consequential losses.
11. Changes to These Terms
The Foundation may update these terms. Material changes will be notified on the Portal or by email, and continued use after notice constitutes acceptance. The current version is always available on the Portal.
12. Governing Law and Disputes
These terms are governed by the laws of India. Subject to any internal grievance process of the Foundation, courts at Pune, Maharashtra shall have exclusive jurisdiction.
13. Contact
Vishwamangal Marathi Foundation — vishwamangalfoundation.org. For questions about these terms, use the Support feature in the Portal or write to the Foundation's registered office.