MahaREAT Judicial Member Vacancy: What It Means for Buyers in Maharashtra

What happened?

Mid-Day reported that the Judicial Member position at the Maharashtra Real Estate Appellate Tribunal (MahaREAT) remains unfilled. The Watchdog Foundation, a public-interest group, has asked the state government to make the appointment quickly. It says more than 1,000 appeals lodged from 2018 up to January 2026 are still open, some of them waiting for a final order.

According to Mid-Day, the foundation sent its representation on October 7 to the Secretary of the Ministry of Urban Development, with copies to the Union Housing Ministry and Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. It pointed to the RERA Act of 2016, which requires each tribunal bench to include a Judicial Member and an Administrative or Technical Member. It also noted that Section 55 protects tribunal proceedings from being invalid just because of a vacancy.

Mid-Day also quoted two affected litigants. A Borivli resident said an appeal pending for three years has been adjourned repeatedly, with the next date set for December 4. A Chembur resident said an appeal on delayed possession and interest has had no hearing since November 2025. The foundation warned that litigants may turn to High Courts through writ petitions, and cited Karnataka and Gujarat as places where High Courts stepped in over similar tribunal delays.

Which sectors are affected?

• Maharashtra homebuyers appealing MahaRERA orders
• Developers contesting MahaRERA orders
• Real estate appellate tribunal (MahaREAT)
• High Court writ jurisdiction in Maharashtra

Potential impact

This is a story about process, not prices. A slower appeals system does not by itself move property values, but it lengthens the time before a buyer recovers a refund, interest or possession through an appeal. Money stays locked for longer, which is a real cost for households that have already paid heavily into a stalled project.

The effect on developers is two-sided. A slow tribunal can delay the enforcement of orders against them, but it also leaves their own appeals unresolved. If the vacancy is filled soon, the backlog could begin to clear; the source does not say when, or whether, that will happen. Buyers should treat the foundation's demand as a request, not a decision.