CHENNAI: The Madras High Court has ordered the constitution of a three-member panel to take inventory of the interiors developed in individual flats of Jains Westminster apartments, which is embroiled in litigation over poor quality of construction and structural stability issues.
A division bench of Justices SS Sundar and N Senthilkumar passed the interim orders while hearing the petitions filed by the flat owners seeking reconstruction of the entire habitat blocks by demolishing it.
The three-member panel shall represent the flat owners association, the builder and the two-member committee of retired HC judges. The panel will have to inspect the building at Saligramam in Chennai and record its inventory.
The order was passed after senior counsel P Wilson, appearing for flat owners, sought recording of inventory to assess loss incurred to owners.
The bench also ordered the authorities to conduct a general body meeting of the flat owners, the builder and the judges’ committee to arrive at a consensus on certain issues, including sharing of additional floor space index resulting out of reconstruction. Wilson pitched for a ratio of 80:20 for the owners and builders, while the latter stressed 40:60.
It may be noted that the court had earlier constituted a committee comprising retired HC Justices KN Basha and K Kannan to look into the issues arising out of the poor quality of construction and damages.