Odisha Govt Clarifies Apartment Registration Rules to Ease Concerns of Homeowners

Bhubaneswar: The Housing and Urban Development Department has issued a clarification regarding the registration of apartments under the Odisha Apartment (Ownership and Management) Act, 2023 (OAOM Act) to resolve ambiguities and ensure a smoother registration process for apartment owners.

The OAOM Act, which came into force on June 28, 2023, was enacted to streamline apartment ownership and management in Odisha. However, homeowners have faced challenges in registering sale and transfer deeds due to uncertainties in the Act’s interpretation.

The primary issue was a misconception that the OAOM Act had retrospective effect, leading to inconsistent decisions by registration officers. Additionally, different interpretations of the OAOM Act and the Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act, 2016 (RERA) created disparities in how registration cases were handled.

To address these concerns, the Housing and Urban Development Department has now clarified that apartments completed before the implementation of RERA in Odisha (February 25, 2017) shall not face any registration denial under the OAOM Act.

The Revenue & Disaster Management Department has also been directed to issue clear instructions to registration officers, ensuring that homeowners do not face unnecessary hurdles.

This move is expected to bring relief to apartment owners and ensure a more transparent and efficient registration process across the state.