Bhubaneswar: In a significant step towards greater clarity and ease in real estate transactions, the Odisha government on Friday issued a comprehensive Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for apartment registrations across the state.
The joint SOP, formulated by the Revenue and Disaster Management Department and the Housing and Urban Development Department, seeks to eliminate ambiguities stemming from multiple interpretations of the Odisha Apartment (Ownership and Management) Act, 2023, the Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act, 2016 (RERA), and the Registration Act, 1908. The new guidelines aim to standardise the registration process, making it more uniform, transparent, and citizen-centric while safeguarding the interests of homebuyers, promoters, and landowners.
Officials described the move as a boost to good governance in the real estate sector, addressing long-pending issues particularly in older projects.
Under the SOP, apartment registrations have been classified into three di
stinct categories: resale of pre-RERA apartments, first sale of unsold flats in pre-RERA projects, and post-RERA apartments. For each category, the procedure clearly outlines the required documents, verification processes, and specific registration conditions.
For pre-RERA projects completed before October 5, 2016, where unsold inventory remains with promoters or landowners, registrations will follow a special order issued under Section 35 of the Odisha Apartment (Ownership and Management) Act, 2023. Such registrations are permitted only if at least 50 per cent of the apartment units were transferred via registered sale deeds on or before the cut-off date and form part of the originally approved building plan. In resales of these apartments, buyers are exempted from producing certain documents mandated under the Apartment Ownership Act, provided the transferor submits the original registered deed, title documents, and other standard registration requirements.
Post-RERA apartments require mandatory compliance with several conditions before registration, including Odisha RERA registration (where applicable), issuance of an occupancy certificate, registration of the Association of Allottees, and registration of the Declaration under Section 9. Provisions for the transfer of common areas and amenities must also be fulfilled, with final approval needed from the competent authority.
The SOP further delineates the roles and responsibilities of competent authorities, covering areas under the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation, various development authorities, and revenue sub-division jurisdictions to ensure smooth implementation.