BENGALURU: The Supreme Court has ordered Mantri Castles Private Limited to hand over possession of flats of its project, Mantri Serenity, to home buyers who have made full payment, before March 13. The verdict brings massive relief to buyers who were waging a battle to take possession of their homes.
The order was delivered on Feburary 13 by Justice Pamidighatam Sri Narasimha and Justice J B Pardiwala, while hearing a case pertaining to Santhosh Narasimha Murthy & Others versus Mantri Castles Private Limited. This project on Kanakapura Road in Bengaluru South taluk is a multi-storied one with six towers, and the builder and home buyers were having multiple problems over the years.
The court said the counsel appearing for Mantri Castles had stated, “Possession would be handed over before the next date of hearing to all flat buyers who have paid 100% of outstanding dues, on terms of the buyers’ agreement.”
The order added that directions would apply to those purchasers who pay their outstanding dues before the next date of listing. March 13 has been fixed as the next hearing date. Lauding the verdict, Dhananjaya Padmanabhachar, Principal Secretary, Mantri Serenity Home Buyers Forum, Bengaluru, said, “Most of the home buyers in Mantri Serenity have already made 100% payment, as per the demand letter issued by the developers.
The developer was denying possession to flat owners, who had to approach the courts. This order will help owners get their flats. We are yet to get any orders from the SC pertaining to delay in compensation,” he said. The BDA had offered the project partial occupancy certification two months ago. The project has been offered priority debt financing by the Swamih Investment fund of the Department of Economic Affairs.