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Following a Bombay High Court directive, MahaRERA has reinstated hybrid hearings, allowing litigants to choose between physical and virtual appearances. The court found the earlier virtual-only format hindered access to justice and noted that other tribunals had already adopted hybrid models. Complaints cited unclear schedules, delays, and no mechanism for urgent matters. The court instructed MahaRERA to revise its procedures, including creating a register for urgent mentions, publishing timestamped orders, setting fixed hearing dates, and providing transparent cause-lists and contact details. MahaRERA has confirmed that both hearing modes are now active and is expected to submit a compliance report soon.
Following a recent directive from the Bombay High Court, the Maharashtra Real Estate Regulatory Authority (MahaRERA) has now reinstated hybrid hearings, allowing parties to choose between physical and virtual appearances. The court observed that denying the option of in-person hearings, despite having the necessary infrastructure, compromised the principles of access to justice and procedural fairness. Advertisement
The decision came in response to concerns raised by litigants who faced challenges due to MahaRERA's continued reliance on virtual-only hearings. Although such a format had initially been adopted during the pandemic, the court highlighted that other tribunals had resumed hybrid formats, while MahaRERA had not. Complainants reported issues such as unclear hearing schedules, delays in order execution, and the absence of a reliable process for urgent matters.
To address these concerns, the High Court instructed MahaRERA to restore hybrid hearings within four weeks. It also directed the authority to revisit its circulars and standard operating procedures. Among the mandated reforms were the introduction of a proper register for urgent mentions, uploading of timestamped orders, scheduling of fixed hearing dates, and publicly updating the status of pending matters. Additionally, the authority was asked to provide clear cause-lists, bench calendars, and official contact details on its platform to ensure better accessibility.
MahaRERA has stated that both hearing modes are now operational, and any party wishing to appear in person may do so. The authority is also expected to submit a compliance report shortly, confirming the implementation of these changes.
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