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.

Latest StoriesRegulatory

ED Raids Seven Properties Linked to Kolkata’s Merlin Group

KOLKATA | NEW DELHI: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) conducted searches at the premises of Kolkata-based real estate firm Merlin Group and its promoters on Wednesday as part of a money laundering inquiry, officials confirmed. Approximately seven locations connected to the company and its promoters, Sushil Mohta and Saket Mohta, were raided under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). A response from Merlin Group regarding the searches is still pending. The promoters and the company are under scrutiny by the federal agency for allegedly fabricating a “false” chain of title with “forged” documents, which has raised land grabbing allegations. This…

Latest StoriesRegulatory

NGT Rejects Telangana’s Future City Project, Seeks Responses

HYDERABAD: The National Green Tribunal’s southern zone bench in Chennai has declined to issue a stay on the Telangana government’s Future City Project on the outskirts of Hyderabad. The bench stated that no interim orders could be made without hearing from all parties involved and without official responses submitted. The Future City Development Authority (FCDA) and the Union Ministry of Environment, Forests & Climate Change (MoEFCC) have been instructed to provide formal responses by June 9 for further deliberation. The order came during proceedings initiated by Hyderabad-based environmentalist Dr. Dhonthi Narsimha Reddy, who claims that the government is engaging in…

Latest StoriesRegulatory

Secunderabad Cantonment Board Residents Demand 1.5% Property Tax

HYDERABAD: Residents of Secunderabad Cantonment have formally approached the chief executive officer (CEO) of the Secunderabad Cantonment Board (SCB) with serious concerns about the ongoing application of a 5% transfer of property tax (TPT), as mandated by a notification from 1989. A resident group known as Cantonment Vikas Manch has pointed out that the 5% TPT was established in 1989 under the provisions of the Cantonments Act of 1924. At that time, limited public awareness and communication made it difficult for many residents to voice objections or suggestions. The TPT is collected by the state government at property registration in…

Latest StoriesRegulatory

Kalaburagi Achieves Record 89.8% Property Tax Recovery

KALABURAGI: Kalaburagi district has made headlines with a remarkable spike in property tax collection, achieving a recovery rate of 89.8%—the highest recorded at the district level. Traditionally, gram panchayats in the district collected between Rs 10-15 crore annually. However, collections soared in the past two years, reaching Rs 25.8 crore in 2024-25 and Rs 33.4 crore by March 31, 2025-26. Out of the 261 gram panchayats, 71 achieved a 100% property tax collection rate, while over 90 exceeded the 90% threshold. Officials noted that this is the highest recovery seen in the past nine years. While previous years witnessed complaints…

Latest StoriesRegulatory

Bombay HC backs ₹1 lakh payout for illegal tenement demolition

MUMBAI: The Bombay High Court has reaffirmed an April 2021 ruling by the Maharashtra State Human Rights Commission (SHRC), which mandated that the Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority (Mhada) pay Rs 1 lakh in compensation to a Jogeshwari resident. This ruling stems from allegations of human rights violations after the demolition of his structure without prior notice, despite it being labeled as an “unauthorized tenement.” The High Court referenced a Supreme Court decision underscoring that the right to shelter is a fundamental aspect of Article 21 of the Constitution—the right to life and liberty— which can only be revoked…

Latest StoriesRegulatory

ED Seizes ₹944 Crore in Properties Linked to Housing Fraud

NEW DELHI: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has seized immovable assets valued at approximately Rs 944 crore under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act. This action is tied to allegations of failure to deliver housing units to more than 1,500 homebuyers in Haryana and Rajasthan, officials reported on Monday. The affected projects are situated in Palwal, Faridabad, Rewari, and Bhiwadi, where buyers allegedly did not receive possession even after making payments, the agency stated. In a recent announcement, the ED indicated it “has provisionally attached immovable properties worth about Rs 944 crore, owned by Piyush Colonisers Limited, former promoters of the…

Latest StoriesRegulatory

SC allows Adani’s JAL acquisition, urges NCLAT to act fast

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Monday decided against halting the Adani group’s ₹14,535 crore acquisition bid for the financially troubled Jaiprakash Associates Limited (JAL), while ensuring that the firm’s monitoring committee can’t make any significant policy decisions without the approval of the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT). A bench led by Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi instructed mining giant Vedanta Ltd, which opposes the resolution plan, alongside Adani Enterprises Ltd, to present their arguments and counterclaims before the NCLAT, which is set to commence final hearings on the matter on April 10. The Supreme Court…

Latest StoriesRegulatory

Goa Forum Dismisses Compensation Complaint for Service Deficiency

PANAJI: The North Goa District Consumer Dispute Redressal Commission dismissed a complaint from a Bardez resident against a Carambolim-based proprietor, who failed to deliver promised plots after accepting payment. According to the complaint, on August 30, 2019, Nivisha Pawaskar entered a memorandum of understanding with Carambolim proprietor Dhaku Madkaikar to buy two plots of 300 sqm each for a total of Rs 10.8 lakh at Buimpal, Sattari. When Madkaikar did not deliver the plots, Pawaskar sent him a legal notice. In response to the notice, Madkaikar returned Rs 2 lakh and Rs 50,000 months later, but did not return the…

Latest StoriesRegulatory

BMC Voices Concerns on Dangerous Buildings in Mumbai

MUMBAI: The BMC has raised significant concerns regarding procedural lapses in the management of dangerous (C-1 category) buildings, cautioning ward-level officials about the potential disciplinary and legal repercussions for failing to follow established regulations. In a comprehensive circular dated April 2, additional municipal commissioner (city) Dr. Ashwini Joshi highlighted that ward offices are not complying with the standard operating procedures (SOPs) set forth by previous municipal directives and Bombay High Court rulings pertaining to decrepit structures. The SOP, initially established through a 2016 circular in response to a High Court petition, mandates that all actions taken against unauthorized constructions and…

Latest StoriesRegulatory

Punjab Extends Taxpayer One-Time Settlement to May 31

CHANDIGARH: The Punjab government announced on Saturday a two-month extension for the One Time Settlement (OTS) scheme aimed at recovering outstanding dues, now extended to May 31, 2026, from the original March 31, 2026 deadline, according to finance minister Harpal Singh Cheema. Cheema mentioned that the taxation department has received 9,151 applications so far, resulting in a total revenue collection of ₹134.21 crore. The state government has already granted waivers amounting to ₹446.17 crore. “This extension offers a final chance for eligible taxpayers to settle their dues and achieve financial relief. The taxation department has also identified 8,000 properties belonging…