MUMBAI: Bombay high court on Thursday directed Maharashtra Real Estate Regulatory Authority (MahaRera) to within four weeks restore hybrid hearings permitting parties to opt for physical or virtual appearance. “Access to justice is not merely about providing virtual access, but ensuring that parties also have the right to appear physically,” said Justices Revati Mohite Dere and Neela Gokhale.
A petition by Mayur Desai urged the high court to direct MahaRera to expeditiously pass a final order in execution/non-compliance proceedings pending since March 2024, as well as to restore hybrid hearings as was practised prior to the Covid-19 pandemic.
MahaRera’s advocate said if parties desire to appear physically, they may apply to the respective bench which may consider their request. The judges said the authority’s continued insistence on virtual-only mode though all courts have adopted hybrid model is “concerning”. They also directed that Rera shall consider revisiting a April 2025 circular and standard operating procedures particularly regarding mechanism for urgent listing of matters, execution of non-compliance of orders, mentioning of cases and pronouncement and publication of reserved orders.
