Top Court Appoints Single-Judge Panel To Verify Genuine Noida Flat Claimants

The Supreme Court has appointed former Allahabad High Court Judge Justice Sudhir Kumar Saxena as a one-member high-powered independent committee to verify and finalise the list of genuine members and subsequent purchasers entitled to multi-storeyed flats in NOIDA.

The order came in a long-running dispute involving the Kendriya Karamchari Sehkari GN Samiti, after the Court found that the issue remained unresolved despite its earlier directions.

In 2022, the top court had directed the New Okhla Industrial Development Authority (NOIDA) to allot multi-storeyed flats to 844 identified members of the Society and ordered examination of the claims of 133 subsequent purchasers.

Subsequent proceedings, however, saw conflicting figures being placed before the Court, with the number of original members revised to 863 and subsequent purchasers to 120.

While NOIDA opposed recognition of the subsequent purchasers, citing restrictions on transfer of allotments and cancellation of the original allotments in 1998, the Society contended that NOIDA had failed to act on transfer applications and that refund cheques issued to the original allotters were never encashed.

Taking note of the continuing stalemate, the bench authorised Justice Saxena to devise his own procedure, examine the relevant records and hear the concerned claimants.

"The one-member committee shall be at liberty to devise its own procedure, including calling for such documents and hearing the concerned members/claimants as it may consider necessary," the top court said, directing NOIDA, the Society and all claimants to extend full cooperation.

The committee has been asked to submit its report within eight weeks.

NOIDA has also been directed to provide complete secretarial and logistical assistance to the panel. The matter will next be taken up on December 2.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)