In a significant decision, Maharashtra Housing Minister Dr. Jitendra Awhad on Tuesday announced that henceforth no prior permission or no objection certificate (NOC) from a cooperative housing society would be necessary for owners wanting to sell/rent out their flats.

This would enable the owners to conduct his/her rental/sale transactions without hassles or delays and prevent harassment by the society committees to green signal such proposals.

“We have come to know that many housing societies discriminate on the basis of caste, creed, religion, community, vegetarians and don’t permit the owners to sell/rent out their properties," Dr. Awhad said.

He pointed out how in some societies or localities dominated by any particular community, certain communities are barred in the name of preferring only ‘vegetarians’ or preventing Dalits and Other Backward Classes, which is leading to increasing hatred among the people.

He said that as per the by-laws, the society’s permissions are not required for owners to either sell/hire out their homes, yet many managing committees are insisting on their clearance.

“Now, if the owner wishes to sell-rent out his flat, he/she will not need the society’s NOC," Dr. Awhad declared, justifying it on grounds of Mumbai being a leading cosmopolitan city in the world and such tactics were sullying the image of the country’s financial capital.

Several individuals, societies, and the Maharashtra Societies Welfare Association have approved and welcomed Dr. Awhad’s initiative and urged that it should be formalized through a ‘Government Resolution’ with punitive clauses for the errant societies/managing committee members.

There have been many instances in the past when people, including many celebs, were barred from buying/selling flats in certain areas/housing societies under the garb of the NOC, but now that will stop, said a Kandivali CHS Chairman, preferring anonymity.

“Consequently, many lose out on a potentially lucrative deal, their transactions get delayed in the societal red-tapism, some societies even demand a certain amount of the deal as a ‘donation’ to the building funds, and there was harassment of both the buyers and the sellers on various counts," he said.