In a move aimed at expediting justice for complainants facing exceptional or urgent situations, the Maharashtra Real Estate Regulatory Authority (MahaRERA) has issued new guidelines that outline specific circumstances under which complaints will be heard on priority — even if they are not senior in the order of filing.
Ordinarily, MahaRERA hears complaints in the sequence they are filed. However, the newly released circular lists seven exceptional situations where this chronological order may be set aside to fast-track hearings.
Circumstances Eligible for Priority Hearing:
- Life-threatening illness: If the complainant is suffering from a life-threatening medical condition. A doctor’s certificate from a relevant specialist is mandatory.
- Review or rectification requests: Cases seeking a review, rectification, or alleging non-compliance of an existing MahaRERA order.
- Court directives: When an appellate tribunal or higher court instructs MahaRERA to dispose of a complaint in a time-bound manner or orders a fresh hearing.
- Mutual settlements: If parties have mutually settled the matter either through MahaRERA’s Conciliation Bench or outside court.
- Withdrawal of complaint: If the complainant intends to withdraw the complaint.
- Maintainability challenges: Where the core issue is whether the complaint is legally maintainable.
- Multiple complaints from the same project: All such complaints may be clubbed, and the seniority of the first petition filed will apply.
To apply for priority hearing, appropriate documentary evidence must accompany the complaint. In absence of such supporting documents, the request will not be considered.
The circular also states that in special situations, the MahaRERA Chairperson retains the discretion to allow or deny out-of-turn hearings, depending on the merits of each case.
The guidelines are effective immediately and aim to provide timely relief to complainants facing extraordinary situations, ensuring that procedural rules do not become a hurdle in delivering justice.
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