India’s real estate transparency framework is under renewed scrutiny after a national homebuyers’ collective alleged that a majority of state regulators have failed to publish mandatory disclosures under the Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act, 2016. The issue centres on the non-release or discontinuation of RERA annual reports, documents intended to provide data on project registrations, complaints, enforcement actions and sector performance.
The Real Estate Act requires each state authority to prepare and place an annual report in the public domain, outlining regulatory activities and compliance metrics. However, the homebuyers’ body claims that more than three-quarters of state regulators have either not published these reports consistently or have stopped issuing them after initial years. According to the collective, several large property markets including southern and western states have not released updated reports in recent cycles. Others, it alleges, have never placed a single comprehensive document online since the law came into force.
Urban policy experts say the absence of up-to-date RERA annual reports weakens the data backbone of India’s property market reforms. “These reports are not procedural paperwork; they are accountability instruments,” said a senior housing policy analyst. “They help track dispute resolution timelines, project delays, penalties imposed and systemic improvements.” For homebuyers, the reports serve as a performance barometer of both developers and regulators. Without standardised, comparable disclosures, prospective purchasers may struggle to assess delivery track records or regulatory effectiveness across states. This is especially relevant in markets witnessing rapid peri-urban expansion, where first-time buyers often depend on statutory safeguards.
The homebuyers’ association has urged the Union housing ministry to issue fresh directives to ensure uniform compliance. It has also suggested that stronger oversight mechanisms be considered where authorities fail to adhere to central guidance. The broader concern extends beyond individual grievances. Analysts argue that credible reporting underpins investor confidence, institutional funding and even climate-aligned urban planning. Data on stalled projects, occupancy certificates and completion rates can inform infrastructure provisioning, transport planning and environmental assessments.
In recent years, India’s property sector has seen a revival in institutional capital and consolidation among organised developers. Market participants note that regulatory transparency played a role in restoring trust after prolonged periods of project delays and litigation. If RERA annual reports are irregular or incomplete, however, it becomes harder to evaluate whether reform outcomes such as faster dispute resolution or improved delivery timelines are being sustained.
Officials in the housing ecosystem indicate that digital dashboards and unified reporting formats could improve consistency across states. As urbanisation accelerates and housing demand grows, transparent oversight mechanisms will remain critical to ensuring that expansion is both accountable and equitable.
The next phase of reform may hinge not only on new rules, but on consistent enforcement and reliable public disclosure cornerstones of a mature and resilient real estate market.
India RERA Annual Reports Face Scrutiny
