The fate of Real Estate Bill, which seeks to regulate realty business, will be tested today .i.e. Tuesday in Rajya Sabha where it is up for consideration as main opposition Congress has upped the ante against it.
After witnessing a number of hurdles mainly from opposition, the government had to defer the bill on April 29, with the Urban Development Minister M Venkaiah Naidu negotiating more time for government for holding more consultations with parties.
NDA government had to defer the bill after Congress demanded the bill to be referred to a Select Committee of Parliament. Since then, the approach of Congress against the bill has become more aggressive, with Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi meeting home buyers from NCR region and accusing the government of working against middle class home-buyers by 'diluting' the bill and making it “pro-builders”.
Both the parties are loggerheads over the bill, with Congress deciding to bring out the 'contrast' between UPA's Real Estate Bill and NDA's legislation on the lines of what it did in the case of Land Acquisition Bill, while Government, on its part would be working to garner the support of some regional parties for passage of the bill.
According to NDA government, this bill is aimed to regulate and promote real estate sector and protect the interest of consumers, however Opposition in Rajya Sabha rejected this bill citing that the amendments proposed were based on suggestions of the Standing Committee, which is nothing but representation of all political parties, and therefore wanted it to be referred to select Committee of Parliament.