TNREAT dismisses Army Welfare Housing Organisation appeal

Dismissing the appeal filed by the AWHO seeking to quash the order issued by Tamil Nadu Real Estate Regulatory Authority (TNRERA), the chairman of the tribunal, B Rajendran, observed that the project has not been completed in full shape as a usable flat. Mere construction of the slabs, columns cannot be treated as completed, he said.

There was no provision contemplated under the Act to exempt the AWHO from registration under the authority on the ground of being a non-profit organisation. “Even Tamil Nadu Housing Board, which constructs and sells flats, is not exempted from the purview of the Act,” Rajendran said.

TNRERA, while hearing the plea filed by four retired army officers in November, had directed the AWHO to register the housing project in Chinnavedampatti in Coimbatore under RERA in 15 days.

However, the AWHO, headquartered in New Delhi, approached the tribunal and claimed that they had structurally completed the apartments by erecting beams, columns by the time RERA came into force. Therefore, they would come under the rules for exemption even though their application was rejected by the DTCP, the former officers contended.