BHUBANESWAR: The Odisha state government has begun the process of appointing a new member (administration) to the Odisha Real Estate Regulatory Authority (ORERA), following a vacancy left by the sudden departure of the previous appointee, who was in the role for just under a year.
This development is particularly important for ORERA, especially with the chairperson position in the Odisha Real Estate Appellate Tribunal (OREAT) remaining unfilled since May. Stakeholders are concerned that continued vacancies in key roles may hinder the timely resolution of disputes involving homebuyers, developers, and real estate projects.
The member (administration) is one of three positions on the ORERA bench, which is tasked with hearing cases related to real estate projects, registration issues, consumer complaints, and regulatory compliance as outlined in the Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act, 2016.
According to official sources, the state government is taking steps to select a new member to restore ORERA’s operational capacity, which is crucial as the authority faces a high volume of complaints from homebuyers and various applications from developers statewide.
“Timely appointments are critical for the continuous functioning of the regulator. Both ORERA and OREAT are essential in safeguarding consumer interests and ensuring confidence in the real estate sector,” stated Bimalendu Pradhan, a real estate law expert.
A homebuyer involved with an apartment owners’ group expressed concerns over the delays in personnel appointments. “Thousands of buyers rely on ORERA and OREAT for assistance. These institutions need to operate at full capacity to ensure cases are addressed without unnecessary delays,” remarked Narayan Hota, a member of the group.
The ongoing vacancies highlight persistent staffing issues within the regulatory body. A similar situation occurred last year when all ORERA members retired or resigned nearly simultaneously, prompting worries about the regulator’s ability to function efficiently until new appointments were made.
With the chairperson position at the tribunal also unfilled, many stakeholders have urged the government to expedite the appointment process to keep both the regulatory body and the appellate tribunal fully functional. “The regulator should have complete autonomy, but this is not the case currently,” Pradhan added.
