Home buyers in Noida threaten to boycott Lok Sabha polls — here’s why

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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Unhappy over the issue of pending registries, homebuyers and residents of several group housing societies in Noida and Greater Noida West have launched a “No Registry, No Vote” campaign ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

They said that either they will not exercise their franchise or choose NOTA in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls later this month if registries of their flats are not done. In some housing complexes residents have also put up large banners reading “No Registry, No Vote” on their society gates and balconies for politicians visiting their societies.

Lok Sabha elections in Noida, Greater Noida and Yamuna Expressway regions that fall under Gautam Budh Nagar constituency will take place on April 26, 2024.

Frustrated with false promises by politicians on getting their registries done in the past, the residents have put up “No Registry-No Vote” posters for politicians visiting their societies in Noida and Greater Noida areas under the Gautam Buddha Nagar constituency for Lok Sabha poll campaigning.

Societies where residents are running “No Registry, No Vote” campaign include Gaur Saundaryam at Techzone 4 in Greater Noida West, Gardenia Glory in Noida Sector 46, Futec Gateway in Sector 75, Himalaya Pride at Techzone 4 in Greater Noida West, Nirala Greenshire society in Sector 2 Greater Noida West, Ajnara Homes in Greater Noida West and Shivalik Homes at Surajpur in Greater Noida, among others.

Homebuyers’ grievances

Pushkar Kaushik, a resident of Gaur Saundaryam housing complex at Techzone 4, said there are more than 300 homebuyers in the society whose registries are pending since February 2021. He said that the Greater Noida Industrial Development Authority (GNIDA) had in February 2021 stopped registries in the society after the builder failed to deposit ₹17 crore as an additional compensation to farmers following which the matter went to the Allahabad High Court.

Kaushik said in December 2023 the Uttar Pradesh government adopted the recommendations of Amitabh Kant Committee on legacy stuck projects and directions were issued to the Authority to execute the registries in three months starting January 2024 but nothing has happened so far.

“There are nearly 2,000 flats, out of which over 300 flats of Tulip tower are yet to be registered. Homebuyers who have invested their hard earned money are troubled without any of their faults. Every time political leaders promise to address our woes but nothing changes so we have decided not to cast votes in this Lok Sabha election unless our demands are met,” Kaushik told Moneycontrol.

Dinkar Pandey, a resident of Ajnara Homes said that homebuyers in his society have been waiting to get the ownership of their apartments for the last 6-7 years. He said there are around 600 flats in Ajnara Homes where registries were pending since 2016-2018.

“As a sign of protest against pending registries we have decided to boycott Lok Sabha polls 2024. Our slogan is ‘No Registry, No Vote’. It is high time that the Authorities understand the homebuyers’ plight as we are suffering even when we are not at fault,” he said.

Another homebuyer, Anuj Kumar Singh, a resident of Gardenia Glory Society, echoed the concerns saying that nearly 1,400 homebuyers have been waiting for their registries since 2016. “We will either not cast votes in this general election or if we have to, then we will select NOTA to register our protest,” he said.

Pending registries

According to the data from the district’s three development Authorities — Noida, Greater Noida and Yamuna Expressway Industrial Development Authority, registries of around 1.15 lakh stalled flats are pending under the Amitabh Kant committee relief package. Officials said that registries of only around 3,400 apartments have been executed till April 5 since March 1 in Gautam Budh Nagar.

Saumya Srivastava, OSD, Greater Noida Industrial Development Authority (GNIDA), said that several builders have deposited 25% of their dues and registries in their projects have been opened.

“The Authority is making all out efforts to execute all pending registries at the earliest. We are allowing registries in those projects where builders are depositing 25% of their dues. As many as 7,500 registries have been allowed in Greater Noida and out of which around 1,800 have been executed,” Srivastava told Moneycontrol.

Abhishek Kumar, president, Noida Extension Flat Owners Welfare Association (NEFOWA), said that the homebuyers are frustrated with false promises by political leaders about getting the pending registries done so that’s why in many societies, where registries are pending, residents are planning to boycott the general elections.

“Though the registries have started happening after the Uttar Pradesh government agreed to adopt the Amitabh Kant committee recommendations, it is very small. Not all recommendations of the Kant committee were accepted by the government. For instance, the committee said that the registry of flats should be delinked from builder dues but it was not adopted. Registries are still linked with builder dues, however, the Authorities have brought a payment reschedulement scheme to ease the payment of dues but homebuyers are still suffering,” he said.

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KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow