Gujarat High Court summons the state government once more over RERA and REAT vacancies.

AHMEDABAD: The Gujarat High Court chastised the state government once more for failing to designate members and the chairperson of the Gujarat Real Estate Regulatory Authority (RERA) and its appeal tribunal.

When the government promised the bench of Chief Justice Sunita Agarwal and Justice Aniruddha Mayee that vacancies in these bodies would be filled as soon as possible, the court requested an explanation for the officials’ inactivity.

“These tribunals have been created by you to ease the burden on courts,” the top justice said. You will not be able to avoid these appointments. You are depriving the people of Gujarat of treatment.”

The judges are considering two PILs that seek the appointment of RERA members and the chairperson of the RERA appellate panel. While the state government has nominated the chairperson of RERA, two of its members are now unfilled. Similarly, the RERA appeal tribunal’s chairperson and one member have been vacant for three years.

The state government promised the HC in 2021 that these positions would be filled immediately. As the positions remained vacant and the state government continued to assure the HC that the appointment process would commence, the judges were enraged at the state government during a hearing last week and refused to allow any more time.

On Monday, the judges directed the government law officer to inform the government that it has failed to complete the procedure for three years, despite the high court establishing a deadline.

The HC was told that RERA members would be appointed by the end of next week. Advocate General Kamal Trivedi proposed that a retired high court judge be named chairperson for the RERA appellate panel that the chief justice be consulted, and that the government give the name of the retired judge by the evening. On September 5, the HC will hear the case again.