MahaRERA Introduces Hybrid Model: Physical and Virtual Hearings Now Available

The Maharashtra Real Estate Regulatory Authority (MahaRERA) has announced a significant update to its operations. In compliance with the Bombay High Court's directive, MahaRERA will now offer a hybrid model for hearings, allowing stakeholders to choose between physical and virtual options. This change is expected to bring relief to the real estate sector, where thousands of disputes remain unresolved.

In July 2025, the Bombay High Court directed MahaRERA to implement a hybrid mechanism to ensure that litigants have the option of a physical hearing. In response, MahaRERA issued a circular on August 11, outlining the standard operating procedure for hybrid hearings. The circular states that societies, homebuyers, and developers can continue filing complaints and applications online while opting for either physical or virtual hearings before any MahaRERA bench.

According to the circular, complainants who wish to opt for physical hearings must submit a written request through their respective login. The daily cause list will now specify the seating arrangements of each bench, and all orders will be uploaded with timestamps. This ensures transparency and accountability in the hearing process.

The move to hybrid hearings came in response to a petition filed by Mumbai resident Mayur Desai. He challenged the continued absence of physical hearings and sought structured guidelines to streamline the execution of orders passed by the Authority. The Court noted that before the COVID-19 pandemic, MahaRERA conducted hearings physically. While the shift to virtual hearings during the pandemic was understandable, the Court found that the insistence on virtual-only hearings post-pandemic was procedurally restrictive and systemically opaque.

Following the court’s directions, MahaRERA has laid down the procedure for physical hearings. A senior MahaRERA official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said: “Even before the Bombay HC order, we were allowing physical hearings upon request. However, most parties preferred virtual hearings as they found them more convenient.” This flexibility is expected to benefit a wide range of stakeholders, including homebuyers, developers, and real estate societies.

The introduction of hybrid hearings is particularly significant given the high volume of disputes in the real estate sector. As of June 2025, MahaRERA has handled 29,374 complaints against 5,508 real estate projects in Maharashtra. Of these, 3,473 projects were ongoing before MahaRERA’s launch in May 2017, while 2,035 were registered after the regulatory framework came into effect. The hybrid model is expected to expedite the resolution of these disputes, providing a more accessible and efficient process for all parties involved.

This move is a positive step towards enhancing transparency and accountability in the real estate sector. It ensures that stakeholders have the flexibility to choose the most convenient method for their hearings, whether physical or virtual. As the real estate market continues to evolve, such adaptive measures are crucial to maintaining trust and confidence among all participants.