The Supreme Court on Thursday deferred further hearings in the long-pending Amrapali Group matter, including petitions filed by aggrieved homebuyers, to July. A new bench will be constituted by the Chief Justice of India to hear the case after the retirement of Justice Bela M. Trivedi, who demits office on June 9 during the summer vacation.
A bench comprising Justices Bela M Trivedi and Satish Chandra Sharma expressed its intent to conclude the proceedings, observing that the case cannot drag on indefinitely. “The matter has been going on for too long,” Justice Trivedi remarked, adding that while she had tried to address key issues, a comprehensive resolution would now require a fresh bench.
Advocate M.L. Lahoty, representing several homebuyers, emphasized the need for adjudicating specific issues from the Supreme Court’s landmark 2019 judgment, particularly the recovery of money from former Amrapali officials and promoters. “These directions form the core of the verdict and cannot be left unresolved,” Lahoty submitted.
Senior advocate Gopal Sankaranarayanan, also appearing for some homebuyers, urged the appointment of an amicus curiae to assist the court with the complexities still surrounding the matter.
The bench noted that Justice Sharma, who remains on the bench post-retirement of Justice Trivedi, will continue to oversee the remaining issues.
The court also took on record the submissions of Lahoty and Attorney General R. Venkataramani, who was appointed as court receiver in 2019, as well as a status report filed by the Noida and Greater Noida Authorities and the NBCC.
Earlier, on March 7, the top court had observed that proceedings in the Amrapali real estate case—pending since 2017—should be concluded soon given the “substantial compliance” already achieved. It had also sought the views of the homebuyers and authorities on the receiver’s latest report, which confirmed that around 25,000 flats have been completed by the NBCC.
The case, rooted in large-scale defaults and diversion of funds by the erstwhile management of Amrapali Group, has affected thousands of homebuyers across multiple housing projects in Noida and Greater Noida. The apex court’s intervention in 2019 led to NBCC taking over construction of stalled projects.
The matter is now expected to resume before a new bench in July.
