DHARAMSHALA | SHIMLA: On Wednesday, the state assembly passed the Real Estate (Regulation and Development), Himachal Amendment Bill, despite protests and a walkout from the opposition.
Currently, the chief justice of the high court serves as chairperson of the committee that recommends members and chairperson of the Real Estate Regulatory Authority (RERA). This Bill proposes to replace the chief justice with the chief secretary.
The amendment also establishes a fixed, non-renewable four-year term for the chairpersons and members, instead of the existing five-year term, which is subject to a 65-year age limit.
The BJP MLAs exited the House before the Bill’s passage, which occurred in their absence. The Amendment will take effect once the President gives assent.
During the debate, Leader of Opposition Jai Ram Thakur and BJP MLAs Randhir Sharma and Trilok Jamwal called for the Bill’s withdrawal.
The BJP representatives argued that RERA is a central act and the state government lacks the authority to amend it. Thakur remarked that the act falls under the concurrent list, and the Supreme Court’s 2021 ruling highlighted the inviolability of constitutional institutions.
Sharma questioned the government’s motives for introducing the Bill, while Jamwal asked why it aimed to remove the chief justice from the committee chair.
Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu responded that any qualified public figure may be appointed as the chairperson and emphasized that the state has the authority to amend regulations under the concurrent list.
Sukhu recalled that the previous BJP government amended the NDPS and Factory Acts during its time, affirming the state government’s respect for the high court and its rulings.
Town and Country Planning Minister Rajesh Dharmani contended that the opposition is exaggerating the issue for political gain.
