Category: Regulatory

Keep up with important regulatory news affecting real estate, including government policies, tax reforms, compliance requirements, and RERA updates. Understand how these regulations impact developers, investors, and buyers.

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Income Tax Dept. Spots Reporting Gaps in Property Sales

NAGPUR: The income tax department is seeing an increasing number of tax evasion petitions (TEPs) concerning undisclosed property transactions. Officials say that underreporting by land registrar offices may be contributing to defaulters hiding these deals. TEPs, which are formal complaints from the public about tax evasion, have drawn attention to the failure to disclose significant property sales in tax returns. Reports indicate that around 20% of these petitions relate to such issues. Investigations have substantiated several allegations, resulting in the imposition of capital gains tax. In some instances, transactions were carried out entirely in cash. Land registrars, governed by the…

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Vijayawada’s vacant land tax committee targets ₹870 crore recovery

VIJAYAWADA: To improve tax collection revenue, the NTR district administration has established a Vacant Land Tax Committee (VLTC) tasked with recovering pending vacant land tax dues from taxpayers within the Vijayawada Municipal Corporation (VMC) limits. The VLTC consists of personnel from both the VMC’s revenue department and the NTR district administration, alongside town planning representatives and staff from the stamps and registration department. Despite a Rs 237 crore demand for vacant land tax, only Rs 19 crore—8.18% of the total—was collected in the previous financial year (2024-25). There are approximately 15,000 vacant land tax assessments within the 64 divisions across…

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Goa Proposes Bill to Lower Stamp Duty in Certain Cases

PANAJI: On Wednesday, the state government introduced a bill aimed at reducing the stamp duty burden on mortgagors for properties mortgaged without possession. The bill also seeks to promote the registration of family trust deeds. According to the Indian Stamp (Goa Amendment) Bill, 2025, the proposed reduction in stamp duty for mortgages and trusts may impact state revenue, but the exact loss cannot be quantified at this time. This initiative is part of a broader effort to rationalize stamp duty on such instruments. The bill establishes a stamp duty of Rs 1,000 for mortgage deeds, excluding certain agreements (e.g., title…

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Telangana HC Probes Alleged Illegal Builds at Nandagiri Hills

HYDERABAD: Justice K Lakshman of the Telangana High Court ordered the principal secretary of the Municipal Administration and Urban Development (MA&UD) Department to launch a thorough investigation into the alleged illegal constructions by M/s Net Net Ventures at Nandagiri Hills in Jubilee Hills. The ruling came in response to a petition from the Nandagiri Hills Cooperative House Building Society urging the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) and other authorities to take action based on a Vigilance & Enforcement (V&E) report dated June 18, 2024, which pointed out significant building code violations by Net Net Ventures. Some notable violations include unauthorized…

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Bengaluru Body Revises OC Stance After Yearlong Delay

BENGALURU: The Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) has issued a new circular regarding rectified occupancy certificates, providing much-needed relief to home buyers. For years, many buyers struggled to obtain occupancy certificates because of the requirement to reserve 10% of flats for Economically Weaker Sections (EWS). This regulation was challenged in court, and the High Court deemed the original BDA circular from November 8, 2010, unconstitutional. While the petition was resolved on August 7, 2024, the BDA took almost a year to release the revised circular. The High Court ruled that according to Article 300A of the Indian Constitution, no individual can…

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Bombay HC Extends Tardeo Tower Eviction Deadline by Three Weeks

MUMBAI: The Bombay High Court has granted an additional three weeks for residents of the top 18 floors of the 34-storey Tardeo tower to vacate their homes. On August 1, the Supreme Court upheld the High Court’s ruling, which instructed the residents to vacate the floors without an occupancy certificate. The initial deadline was set for August 2. The Supreme Court indicated that residents could apply for an extension through the High Court. They requested four weeks, citing the need for alternate housing for their school-going children. The High Court granted the extension, noting it as a ‘mercy plea,’ and…

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Land Pooling Policy Delayed Until Aug 7 Hearing: Punjab AG

CHANDIGARH: On Wednesday, the Punjab advocate general informed the Punjab and Haryana High Court that the land pooling policy would be paused, with no further actions anticipated before the next hearing scheduled for Thursday. This announcement was made in response to a petition filed by Gurdeep Singh Gill, contesting the Punjab government’s land pooling scheme. The court has set Thursday, August 7, as the date for the next hearing. During Wednesday’s proceedings, the court queried whether the policy included provisions for rehabilitating landless laborers. The state has also been instructed to clarify if an assessment of the social impacts was…

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Delhi Court Allows AVUT to Assist in Sushil Ansal Case

Representational image NEW DELHI: A Delhi court has permitted the Association of the Victims of the Uphaar Tragedy (AVUT) to aid the prosecution in a fraud case against businessman Sushil Ansal. Ansal was found guilty in the 1997 Uphaar cinema fire incident that resulted in the deaths of 59 individuals. The chairperson of AVUT, Neelam Krishnamoorthy, submitted a request to assist the prosecution, citing specific concerns regarding the investigation and the chargesheet. In 2019, the Delhi Police’s crime branch charged Ansal under Section 12 of the Passport Act for allegedly obtaining a passport while concealing information about his nationality. Additionally,…

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50% Tax Waiver for PCMC Red Zone Properties Starting FY27

PUNE: The Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) decided on Tuesday to grant a 50% discount on the general tax for properties located in the red zone, starting from the next financial year. This move has sparked protests from numerous housing societies. The proposal for the tax waiver was approved in the PCMC’s standing committee and general body meetings. A senior official from the property tax department stated that the decision, effective April 1, 2026, pertains only to property owners who settle all outstanding dues. Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Commissioner Shekhar Singh explained to TOI that the civic body currently struggles to…

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SC Supports SEIAA and SEAC’s Authority on Environmental Clearances

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court (SC) has confirmed that the State Environment Impact Assessment Authority (SEIAA) and the State Expert Appraisal Committee (SEAC) will remain the primary authorities responsible for granting environmental clearances at the project level. This ruling addresses a long-standing regulatory standstill affecting over 493 real estate projects in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) and Pune, which could impact more than 70,000 housing units, especially in the affordable and mid-income categories. The court’s decision is expected to clarify the environment clearance process, potentially revitalizing housing development in the area. The SC also invalidated sections of the notifications from…