The Maharashtra Real Estate Regulatory Authority (MahaRERA), Nagpur Bench, has imposed a penalty of ₹10,000 on a real estate developer after holding that a newspaper advertisement carried mandatory RERA disclosures in a manner that appeared “blur and beyond recognition,” thereby defeating the very purpose of statutory transparency mandated for homebuyers. The Authority underlined that compliance with disclosure requirements under the Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act, 2016, is not a mere formality and must be meaningful, legible, and effective.
The order was passed by Sanjay Bhimanwar, Deputy Secretary, MahaRERA, in a suo motu advertisement complaint initiated by the Authority itself. The proceedings arose in respect of an advertisement issued by Pankaj Rameshchandra Kothari, promoter of a registered housing project known as “Lotus Green” situated at Akola.
The case originated from an advertisement titled “Hello Akola, Akola” published in the Marathi daily Lokmat on 29 March 2025. Although the project was registered with MahaRERA, the Authority took suo motu cognisance of the advertisement and issued a show cause notice dated 16 June 2025, alleging prima facie violation of Section 11(2) of the Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act, 2016, as well as MahaRERA Orders No. 46/2023 and 46A/2023. The notice stated that the advertisement failed to properly incorporate the MahaRERA project registration number and the Quick Response (QR) Code in a clear and legible manner.
In his reply dated 23 June 2025 and during the hearing held on 3 December 2025 through video conferencing, the promoter submitted that the MahaRERA registration number and QR code had indeed been included in the advertisement. However, he explained that due to the small size of the advertisement, these details were also reduced in size and thus appeared unclear. The promoter tendered an apology and assured the Authority that all future advertisements would prominently display MahaRERA project details in strict compliance with the regulations.
The Authority was not persuaded by this explanation. Referring to Section 11(2) of the Act, MahaRERA observed that the provision mandates promoters to prominently mention the Authority’s website address, the project registration number, and other prescribed details in every advertisement. The Authority emphasised that the statutory requirement is aimed at ensuring transparency and enabling prospective homebuyers to easily access project information through the MahaRERA portal.
MahaRERA also relied on its earlier Orders No. 46/2023 dated 29 May 2023 and 46A/2023 dated 25 July 2023, which require promoters to prominently display a QR code in all project advertisements in a manner that is “legible, readable, and detectable” using software applications. The Authority noted that these directions apply across all mediums of promotion and that failure to comply attracts a minimum penalty of ₹10,000.
On examination of the advertisement and the material on record, the Authority found that the MahaRERA registration number and QR code, though claimed to have been included, appeared blurred and beyond recognition. It further recorded that the MahaRERA website address had not been mentioned at all. The Authority held that such defective disclosure frustrates the very objective of the Act, which seeks to empower homebuyers by ensuring easy access to accurate and complete project information.
Holding the promoter to be in violation of Section 11(2) of the Act, read with MahaRERA Orders No. 46/2023 and 46A/2023, the Authority imposed a penalty of ₹10,000 under Sections 61 and 63 of the Act. It further directed MahaRERA’s Technical and Finance Department to verify payment of the penalty before processing any future applications relating to the project, including requests for extension, correction, or change of name. With these directions, the suo motu complaint was disposed of.
Cause Title: MahaRERA v. Pankaj Rameshchandra Kothari
Case No: Suo Motu Advertisement Complaint No. SM12500151
