BHUBANESWAR: The Odisha government has begun the process of appointing a new member (administration) for the Odisha Real Estate Regulatory Authority (ORERA). This comes more than two months after the position became vacant due to the premature departure of the previous member, who had been in office for only about a year.
This development is especially significant for ORERA, as the chairperson’s position in the Odisha Real Estate Appellate Tribunal (OREAT) has also been vacant since May. Stakeholders are concerned that prolonged vacancies in these critical roles could hinder the resolution of disputes among homebuyers, developers, and real estate projects.
The member (administration) is one of three key positions on the ORERA bench, tasked with addressing matters related to real estate projects, registration issues, consumer grievances, and compliance with regulations under the Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act, 2016.
Sources indicate that the state government has initiated the selection process to fill this vacancy and restore full functionality to the authority. This is vital as ORERA continues to handle a significant number of complaints from homebuyers and applications from developers statewide.
“Timely appointments are crucial to ensure the regulator’s operations remain uninterrupted. Both ORERA and OREAT are vital for protecting consumer rights and maintaining trust in the real estate sector,” stated Bimalendu Pradhan, a real estate law expert.
A homebuyer connected to an apartment owners’ association expressed concerns about the impact of delays in filling these roles on consumer confidence. “Thousands of buyers rely on ORERA and OREAT for redress. The institutions need to operate at full capacity to ensure cases are processed promptly,” said Narayan Hota, a member of the association.
The ongoing vacancies highlight persistent staffing issues within the regulatory body. A similar scenario arose last year when all ORERA members either retired or resigned within a short time frame, raising concerns about the regulator’s ability to function effectively until new members were appointed.
With the tribunal’s chairperson position also unfilled, several stakeholders have called for the government to expedite the appointment process to keep both the regulatory body and the appellate forum fully operational. “The regulator should be granted full autonomy, yet that seems to be eroding,” added Pradhan.
