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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SC Directs Municipal Bodies to Survey Commercial Misuse in Homes

JAIPUR: The Supreme Court has mandated that municipal bodies in all state and Union Territory capitals conduct a survey of residential areas used for commercial activities, submitting affidavits detailing violations by May 15, 2026. This places the Jaipur Municipal Corporation (JMC) under a tight deadline. The directive was issued during a hearing regarding unauthorized commercial use in a Chennai colony, with Justices Ahsanuddin Amanullah and R. Mahadevan expanding its nationwide application. “Authorities must conduct a thorough investigation to identify areas designated for residential use that are being misappropriated for commercial purposes. A comprehensive report outlining these cases must be presented…

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SC orders Nowhera to surrender in a week, ties bail to deeds

File Photo HYDERABAD: On Wednesday, the Supreme Court directed Nowhera Shaik, the chief of Heera Group, to surrender to the appropriate jail authorities within a week. The court warned that non-compliance would lead to the issuance of a non-bailable warrant. Furthermore, the possibility of future bail considerations will be contingent upon her cooperation in executing pending sale deeds. This directive stems from the court’s findings that Nowhera has failed to cooperate in executing 16 sale deeds for auction purchasers, despite the Enforcement Directorate (ED) having already received the full payment. The court described the situation as a large-scale fraud, involving…

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ED Investigates Financial Ties of Kolkata’s Merlin Group

KOLKATA | NEW DELHI: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) announced on Thursday that it is probing potential financial connections between a Kolkata real estate firm and several politicians and government officials in West Bengal as part of a money laundering investigation. Following raids at seven locations tied to the Merlin Group (Merlin Projects Limited) and its founders Sushil Mohta and Saket Mohta, investigators seized certain “incriminating” digital devices and documents. The company has stated it is fully cooperating with the investigation and maintains that all of its transactions are transparent. “Merlin Group is aware of the ongoing inquiry by the Enforcement…

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Bombay HC Upholds Altamount Road Redevelopment, Dismisses PIL

MUMBAI: The Bombay High Court confirmed the permissions for a 16-story redevelopment of a tenanted cessed structure from 1940 on Altamount Road, dismissing a public interest litigation (PIL) filed in 2013 challenging it. The PIL, submitted by the Altamount Road Area Citizens Committee, alleged that the permissions were granted illegally and arbitrarily, establishing a “wrong and dangerous precedent.” The state contended that the permissions were lawful, an assertion with which the High Court concurred, stating that the PIL appeared to target the builder rather than address genuine public concerns. Chief Justice Shree Chandrashekhar and Justice Gautam Ankhad stated in their…

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Gujarat’s stamp duty, registration revenue rises 30% to ₹19,000 crore

GANDHINAGAR: Gujarat’s revenue from stamp duty and registration fees surged by 30% year-on-year, reaching Rs 19,102.58 crore in 2025-26, an increase of nearly Rs 4,400 crore from Rs 14,706 crore in 2024-25, as per official statistics. During the financial year that ended on March 31, 2026, 18.95 lakh property documents were registered, compared to 18.77 lakh the previous year. This slight uptick in registrations, along with significant revenue growth, indicates that the registered properties had a higher value than in the prior year. Sources in the real estate sector and officials highlighted that the increase is partly due to the…

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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…

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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…

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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…

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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…

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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…