CHENNAI: The registration of architects with local bodies under the Tamil Nadu Combined Development and Building Rules, 2019, has sparked a row with the Council of Architecture alleging that it violates the provisions of the Architect Act, 1972. As per the Tamil Nadu Combined Development and Building Rules, 2019, the architects should apply for registration to the competent authority or Block Development Officer in case of village panchayat.
“On receipt of such applications and after satisfying the educational qualifications and experience in the field, and the certificate of the screening committee to be constituted by the Chennai Corporation, Commissioner of Municipal Administration, Directorate of Rural Development as the case may be, the competent authority may register on payment of registration fee of `5,000 and subject to such other conditions as he may think fit,” the rule states.
The Council says the state has no powers to regulate the profession of architects. “As per our profession, we have registered with the Council of Architecture under the provisions of the Architect Act and there is no need to insist on architects seeking fresh registration,” one of the members registered with the organisation said.
It is learnt that officer-bearers of Council of Architecture have written to the state government that architectural education and profession are regulated by Architects Act passed by Parliament and the Ministry of Human Resources Development is the nodal agency of the Council of Architecture.
“Article 254 of the Constitution says a Central law shall prevail over the state law. Hence the state laws laying down requirements for registration of architects and payment of fee are directly in conflict with the provisions of the Architects Act,” the Council of Architecture said.R K Oberoi, Registrar of Council of Architecture, told Express that they had written to the state government, but were yet to get a reply in this regard.A senior Housing department official told Express that they had got a representation from the Council of Architecture and they were looking into it.