Citation : 2023 Latest Caselaw 1766 Tel
Judgement Date : 25 April, 2023
THE HON'BLE THE CHIEF JUSTICE UJJAL BHUYAN
AND
THE HON'BLE SRI JUSTICE N. TUKARAMJI
WRIT APPEAL Nos.475 of 2023 and 476 of 2023
COMMON JUDGMENT: (Per the Hon'ble the Chief Justice Ujjal Bhuyan)
This order will dispose of both Writ Appeal Nos.475 of
2023 and 476 of 2023.
2. While W.A.No.475 of 2023 arises out of
W.P.No.13898 of 2022, W.A.No.476 of 2023 arises out of
W.P.No.2694 of 2021.
3. Both the writ petitions were filed by respondent
No.1 Sri Boyenepally Sri Jayavardhan. In both the writ
petitions, appellants were arrayed as respondents.
4. We have heard Mr. S.Ravi, learned Senior Counsel
for the appellants and Mr. S.Rahul Reddy, learned counsel for
respondent No.1/writ petitioner. Also heard Mr. Harender
Pershad, learned Special Government Pleader attached to the
office of learned Advocate General representing the State
(respondent Nos.2 and 3).
2 HCJ & NTRJ
W.A.Nos.475 & 476 of 2023
5. Writ Petition No.2694 of 2021 was filed seeking
the following relief:
"....to issue a Writ, Order or Direction particularly one in the nature of Writ of Mandamus declaring the impugned order vide G.O.Rt.No.2142, dated 19/08/2019 issued by Respondent No.2 and further proceedings of Respondent No.4 delegating quasi-judicial function of hearing the complaints received by the Authority to Respondent No.5 i.e. Secretary of Respondent No.3 Authority vide undated Spl.Order.No. 01/2021/TSRERA, dated /01/2021 as ultra-vires of the provisions of the Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act, 2016, illegal, without jurisdiction and consequently set- aside the same and consequently prohibit Respondent No.4 and 5 from hearing and deciding the complaints filed before Respondent No.3 under Section 31 of the Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act, 2016 and pass..."
6. On the other hand, Writ Petition No.13898 of 2022
was filed seeking the following relief:
"...to issue a Writ, Order or Direction particularly one in the nature of Writ of Mandamus declaring RERA Certificates Registration No. P02500001821, P02500001819, dated 20/03/2020 in the name of Vasavi S Lake City East and Vasavi S Lake City West, issued by unauthorized persons under the guise of the Act, in favour of respondent No.6 obtained by playing fraud and misrepresenting the details of land, land owners and allottees under an ongoing project, 3 HCJ & NTRJ W.A.Nos.475 & 476 of 2023
thereby denying the petitioner of his valuable rights over his property to an extent of 8000 Sq.Yards/3,57,200 Sq. Ft., of super built up area in Sy.No.105 to 109 and 111 to 114 in Hafeezpet Village, Serlingampally Mandal, RR District, now forming part of the project land under impugned RERA Certificate, dated 20/03/2020 as illegal, without jurisdiction, violative of Article 14 and 300-A of the Constitution of India and violation of principles of natural justice and revoke the same and further restrain respondent No.6 from proceeding with any construction in the real estate project and pass..."
7. Before we advert to the two orders impugned by
the writ petitioner i.e., order dated 19.08.2019 and order
dated 20.03.2020, we may mention that respondent No.1/writ
petitioner had conferred development rights upon the
appellants for development of his land along with other
extents of lands. In this connection, development agreements
were entered into between the parties. With the grievance
that appellants as the developers have denied respondent
No.1's rights over the property to an extent of 8000 square
yards/3,57,200 square feet of super built up area, he had
lodged a complaint before the Real Estate Development
Authority of Telangana dated 05.08.2020.
4 HCJ & NTRJ
W.A.Nos.475 & 476 of 2023
8. By the order dated 19.08.2019 issued by the Chief
Secretary to the Government of Telangana, transfer and
posting of two officers were carried out. Insofar Sri Somesh
Kumar, IAS, Special Chief Secretary to the Government,
Revenue (CT and Excise) Department is concerned, he was
posted as Special Chief Secretary to the Government, Revenue
(CT, Excise, Revenue and RS) Department. Additionally, he
was allotted to act as Chairman of Real Estate Regulatory
Authority (briefly referred to hereinafter as 'RERA') amongst
others. Order dated 20.03.2020 is a proceeding carried out
by the Chairman of Telangana State Real Estate Regulatory
Authority Sri Somesh Kumar. By the said order, the
Chairman had authorized the Secretary to conduct hearing on
the complaints received by RERA by following the provisions
of the Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act, 2016
read with Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Rules,
2017.
9. Prima facie such appointment of Chairman of
RERA appears to be contrary to the Real Estate (Regulation
and Development) Act, 2016. As a matter of fact, steps are 5 HCJ & NTRJ W.A.Nos.475 & 476 of 2023
now being taken for constitution of RERA as well as the
appellate Tribunal under the Real Estate (Regulation and
Development) Act, 2016. Supreme Court in Transfer Petition
(Civil) Nos.1623-1624/2022 filed by respondent No.1 seeking
transfer of his complaint from Telangana to Maharashtra
RERA, Supreme Court has passed an order on 10.04.2023
granting one last opportunity to the State of Telangana to
complete the process for constitution of RERA and appellate
Tribunal on or before 05.05.2023 and to submit compliance
report on 08.05.2023.
10. It is in the above backdrop, we may now examine
the common order passed by the learned Single Judge dated
27.03.2023 disposing of both the writ petitions. Learned
Single Judge disposed of the two writ petitions by directing as
follows:
"After careful consideration of the matter and without expressing any opinion on the merits of the matter with regard to the development agreement or the terms and conditions mentioned therein and the entitlement of the petitioner to his share as claimed in the development agreement and also the rights and liabilities of respondent Nos.7 and 8, this Court 6 HCJ & NTRJ W.A.Nos.475 & 476 of 2023
deems it appropriate to dispose of the writ petitions directing the RERA authority to consider the pending applications within two(2) months in accordance with the provisions of the RERA Act and the rules made thereunder and till the disposal of the applications submitted by the petitioner, there shall not be any further transactions over the subject property in any manner.
With the above directions, these writ petitions are disposed of. There shall be no order as to costs."
11. Thus, learned Single Judge directed the RERA
Authority to consider the pending complaint of respondent
No.1 within a period of two (02) months in accordance with
the Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act, 2016 and
the Rules framed thereunder, further directing that till the
disposal of complaint submitted by respondent No.1, there
should not be any further transactions over the subject
property in any manner. In view of the direction of the
Supreme Court, it is expected that both RERA as well as
appellate Tribunal would be constituted on or before
05.05.2023. RERA so constituted shall thereafter take up the
complaint of respondent No.1 dated 05.08.2020 and decide
the same in accordance with law expeditiously. We direct
that interim stay granted by the learned Single Judge shall 7 HCJ & NTRJ W.A.Nos.475 & 476 of 2023
continue till 31.05.2023 whereafter it would be entirely within
the discretion of RERA to pass such order as it may deem fit
and proper in the facts and circumstance of the case. We
further make it clear that the embargo placed by learned
Single Judge and continued by us pertains to only alienation
of the property. There is no embargo on carrying out the
construction or finalization thereof. We clarify that we have
not expressed any opinion on merit. All contentions are kept
open to be agitated before RERA.
12. Writ Appeals are accordingly disposed of.
However, there shall be no order as to costs.
13. As a sequel, miscellaneous applications pending, if
any, in the Writ Appeals, shall stand closed.
_______________________ UJJAL BHUYAN, CJ
_______________________ N.TUKARAMJI, J Date: 25.04.2023 KL
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