The Government of Karnataka has placed retired IAS officer Rakesh Singh at the helm of the state’s Real Estate Regulatory Authority as its chairman. The position fell vacant earlier this year after previous chairman H C Kishore Chandra completed his term.
In the interim period, the state government had issued an order appointing Naveen Raj Singh, principal secretary, housing department, to officiate as the acting chairman of K-RERA.
Singh’s appointment comes after the Karnataka High Court earlier this month passed an interim order restraining Naveen Raj Singh from officiating as acting chairperson of the regulatory body with immediate effect. There is no provision in the rules for an officer of the state government to be nominated to fill the vacancy, the court observed. The senior-most member of K-RERA shall continue to be the in-charge chairperson of K-RERA until the vacancy is filled by a fresh order of appointment, the court had ruled.
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Singh has around 35 years of experience of working in the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike, Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) and the urban development department.
Singh retired as the Additional Chief Secretary (ACS) of both Urban Development Department, Administrator of Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike, and ACS of Water Resources Department.
According to rules, the term of the chairperson shall be for five years from the date of their assumption of charge of the post or till they attain the age of 65 years or until further orders, whichever is earlier. They are not eligible for re-appointment.
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The appointment of the chairperson is governed by terms of appointment laid down in the Real Estate (Regulation & Development) Act, 2016, read with the Karnataka Real Estate (regulation & Development) Rules, 2017.
The tasks ahead
The Karnataka Home Buyers Forum recently wrote to Union Minister of Housing and Urban Affairs, Manohar Lal Khattar, raising multiple concerns. In the letter dated June 13, 2024, the 400-member representative body listed challenges tied to timely disposal of complaints by Karnataka Real Estate Regulatory Authority (K-RERA), minimal recovery of compensation awarded to homebuyers and discrepancies associated with sale deeds.
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The home buyers’ body also approached the governor Thaawarchand Gehlot last month urging him to address implementation issues tied to RERA in Karnataka.
