Karnataka Government Seeks New K-RERA Chairperson.

The Karnataka State Government has announced a call for applications for the Chairperson position of the Karnataka Real Estate Regulatory Authority (K-RERA). HC Kishore Chandra, a retired Director General of Police, who served as K-RERA Chairperson, retired last month at the age of 65. He had been appointed in May 2021.

According to Section 22 of the RERA Act, candidates for the K-RERA Chairperson role must possess a minimum of 20 years of professional experience in areas such as urban development, housing, real estate development, infrastructure, economics, planning, law, commerce, accountancy, industry, management, social service, public affairs, or administration.

Home buyers are urging the state government to appoint a well-qualified and knowledgeable individual with integrity for the K-RERA Chairperson position, expressing concerns about the appointment of individuals lacking real estate and construction expertise.

“The state government appointed HC Kishore Chandra as K-RERA Chairperson and former Karnataka Director General of Police Neelamani Raju as its member. Both are not familiar with real estate issues. It is unclear why the state government is rehabilitating two retired police officers.

K-RERA should not become a rehabilitation center for retired officers favored by the government,” said retired Naval veteran Commander Surendra.

Home buyers have voiced complaints about unresolved cases with K-RERA and its failure to enforce orders against builders violating norms. Karnataka Home Buyers Forum Sanchalak Dhananjaya Padmanabhachar stated, “Home buyers in Karnataka are not receiving justice under RERA due to the lack of proper guidance from the RERA Chairman in the past.

Complaints are not addressed promptly, orders are not executed, and there is no direction on Apartment Allottees Association registration and Common Area Transfer as per Section 17 of RERA since 2017.”

Padmanabhachar emphasized that other states have implemented Section 17 and provided directions. He hopes the government will appoint a knowledgeable and experienced RERA Chairman who can effectively implement the RERA Act to benefit home buyers in Karnataka.