The Haryana Real Estate Regulatory Authority (HRERA), Gurugram, imposed a Rs 50 lakh penalty on a real estate promoter for publishing a misleading advertisement in an English daily about their real estate project Green Oaks. 

According to an HRERA spokesperson, the authority took strong notice of the advertisement published on March 2 and sent a show cause notice to Countrywide Promoters Private Limited, requesting a response. 

According to the spokesperson, the authority observed that, despite mandatory provisions under Sections 11(2) and 13 (1) of the Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act 2016, the promoter failed to properly describe the details in the advertisement, which is a punishable offense under Section 61 of the act.  

“It is established that the promoter published a misleading advertisement to prevent prospective allottees from making an informed decision. The authority imposes a Rs 50 lakh penalty under Section 61 of the Act 2016, according to an HRERA order. 

According to the HRERA spokesperson, Countrywide Promoters Private Limited is developing an affordable plotted colony, Green Oaks, in Sector 70-A Gurugram, under the Deen Dayal Jan Awas Yojna (DDJAY) Affordable Plotted Housing Policy-2016, and will obtain RERA registration in 2021.  

“It is abundantly clear that the promoter has issued a misleading advertisement for a DDJAY plotted colony, using alluring images to lead prospective investors to believe that the project includes a clubhouse and other amenities that do not exist in the project. This is a violation of section 7(1)(A)(i). According to the order, no details, information, or visuals of the project’s layout or site plan were provided to allow the prospective allottee to make an investment decision.