RERA Tribunal likely to be operational by May-end
The Karnataka Real Estate Appellate Tribunal (K-REAT) – which has been non-functional for the last one year is likely to be operational by May-end. After receiving flak from the High Court and aggrieved home buyers, the government has finally started the process of filling vacant posts in the tribunal, which consists of three members, including the chariperson.
Last week, the government appointed retired IAS officer Mahendra Jain as the technical and administrative member. The judicial member, a top government offcial said, will be appointed in a month.
The government is also in the process of appointing the chairperson after seeing consent from the Chief Justice of the High Court, it is learnt. The tribunal, which deals with grievances against any direction, decision or order passed by the Real Estate Regulatory Authority (RERA) or by an adjudicating officer, last heard the case in June last year. So far, the tribunal has passed over 500 judgement and has also helped many more home buyers in settling disputes mutually with the developers or builders. The delay in filling vacant posts in the tribunal was a blow to home buyers who had received favourable orders in RERA but the developers went on to challenge the orders in the ‘dysfunctional’ tribunal. It is learnt that about 50 cases are pending before the appellate tribunal for hearing. The RERA orders can be appealed before the tribunal only after the developers deposit about 33% of the recovery cost. Even though the government has appointed an administrative member. Jain, will not be able to pass any orders as the tribunal bench – deemed to be a civil court requires a minimum of two members.
