Can an apartment owners association levy joining fee for membership to a new owner?

I bought a flat in an apartment, where the association is going to take charge of maintenance from the same month as my purchase. The Association was formed one year earlier and the election for new Management committee(MC) is scheduled one week later and I wanted to apply for a post. I went to check if my name is being reflected in members' list. The incumbent MC confirmed my name in list provided by builder but asked me to pay money and fill the form and told that only then I will be granted membership. They say that one AGM passed this joining fee for membership but also told that they are not going to give any receipt for this money since they claim that this money was used to bribe officials for registration of society and procurement of some inventory like computers, tables, etc. Never before I have heard of such joining fee for membership in AOA for an owner. Shouldn't an owner become a member of apartment association by default? and is it legally correct for an AOA to collect joining fee for membership?