Customers and builders heaved a sigh of relief as the Odisha government relaxed the norms pertaining to the sale and purchase of apartments.
The government has clarified that a customer can now sell or purchase an apartment that was constructed before the Real Estate Regulatory Authority (RERA) came into existence.
The state government hopes that the move will help people facing problems in selling and purchasing an apartment. A huge number of apartments were constructed before the RERA came into existence in India on May 1, 2017. The Indian Parliament passed the RERA Act in March 2016.
Minister, housing and urban development, Krushna Chandra Mohapatra, said: “People can register their properties following due processes for laws without facing any difficulties.”
In a notification, the housing and urban development department said: “It has come to notice that apartment owners are facing difficulties in registering sale deeds and transfer deeds due to perceived ambiguities in the application of the Act. There is a misconception that the Odisha Apartment Ownership and Management (OAOM) Act has a retrospective effect, leading to inconsistencies in registration processes. Registration officers are reportedly interpreting the provisions of the OAOM Act, 2023 and the RERA differently, causing disparities in decision-making across cases.”
“...It is hereby clarified that the registration authorities shall not deny the registration of any apartment citing provisions of OAOM Act, if the apartment was completed before the commencement of RERA in the state...The department of revenue & disaster management will be requested to issue suitable instructions to the registration officers to facilitate the registration of such apartments,” it further added
The buyers can approach the Odisha Real Estate Regulatory Authority (ORERA) for any grievances pertaining to the registration process. The ORERA acts as a mediator and a regulatory body to ensure fair practices and protect the interests of homebuyers.
Dr Meenakhi Mohanty, 67, who has been running helter-skelter to register his apartment, said: “Many people will benefit from it. The laws were so stringent that no one could sell the apartments which had come before the existence of the RERA. Now, the amendment will help a number of customers as well as the builders.”
The state government is also considering allowing the sale of the plotted land. “Work is on to formalise the guidelines,” officials said.