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Maharashtra

Likely pitfalls that could derail the Shinde-Fadnavis combination

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After hijacking the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) 3-party �auto-rickshaw, new Chief Minister Eknath Shinde converted it into a �two-wheeler with an over zealous pillion-rider in Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.

Over 3 weeks after they were sworn-in, instead of zooming off, the government is still �parked’ on the road, but is busy clearing the route ahead by yanking off the MVA’s decisions, policies, schemes and projects.

Relegated to the pavement, the Shiv Sena-Nationalist Congress Party-Congress looked on gleefully as Fadnavis once snatched the microphone as a startled Shinde cast a brief bewildered stare at the audacity.

Many in the Opposition are wondering aloud �how soon’ before the Bharatiya Janata Party heavyweight Fadnavis grabs the reins of power to jump into the driving seat sidelining the ex-autorickshaw driver Shinde.

The challenges before the new regime are both daring and daunting, starting with the much-awaited Cabinet expansion, amid a storm raised by Shinde’s 40-strong band of restless rebel Shiv Sena MLAs.

Then, the Independents or fringes like the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) to ensure a �Thackeray’ on board and the frightful prospects of humouring the BJP legislators, with many bigwigs ready to draw first blood at the first slight.

All these would test the best of Shinde’s balancing skills and Fadnavis’ claimed �Chanakya-esque’ mastery to ensure a turbulence-free ride for the new regime.

Among the secret worries are whether the Brobdingnagian BJP with 106 MLAs looking down, would try to grab the cake and leave only crumbs for the rebels, with at least 20 prime portfolios up for grabs and coveted by all.

The next concern for the breakaway group would be the Supreme Court verdict which could make or break the new government, with both sides of the Shiv Sena proclaiming they are the �real’ party.

While winning the trust vote in the House was easy, the next formidable challenge for Shinde would be to win the confidence of the masses and establish his own credibility — a dismaying proposition as many in the past, like Raj Thackeray of the MNS, and others who revolted in different parties all over India have experienced.

A major battle – legal and political – waiting to erupt between the Thackeray and Shinde sides, is over who will ‘conquer’ the Shiv Sena Bhavan (the party headquarters), bag its �Tiger’ logo, the iconic Bow and Arrow election symbol, the well oiled 56-year-old party apparatus, and most important, convincingly delink it from the magical Thackeray surname�

Shinde would have to prove his supremacy over the Thackeray side in the upcoming civic body elections but hurdles are already cropping up with a section of his group reportedly against allying with the BJP.

Retaining the CM’s traditional stronghold of Thane may be a cakewalk, but dislodging the MVA hold over many other civic bodies like Mumbai, Navi Mumbai, Pune, Nashik, Aurangabad, Nanded, etc could pose problems, with or without the BJP’s overbearing shadow.

Top MVA leaders like Thackeray, Sanjay Raut (Sena), Sharad Pawar, Ajit Pawar (NCP), Nana Patole, Balasaheb Thorat (Congress), have already predicted that the �E.D.’ (Eknath-Devendra) government could fall on its own and the state would be pushed to a mid-term election in a few months.

After Shinde-Fadnavis clear these teething hurdles, they have a table-full of major governance issues like the OBC quotas, handling Covid better than the MVA did, and fast-track or complete several big ticket ongoing projects, estimated to cost over Rs 5 lakh crores.

They are the Mumbai-Nagpur Super Expressway, the Borivali-Thane Tunnel, the Mumbai Trans Harbour Link, the Mumbai Coastal Road, the southern and northern extension to the Worli-Bandra Sea Link, the Navi Mumbai International Airport, and more than 375-kms of Metro Rail spanning the Mumbai Metropolitan Region.

Other mega projects are the Pune Ring Road, Marathwada Water Grid, the Jalna-Nanded corridor linking the Mumbai-Nagpur Super Expressway, augmenting the Mumbai-Pune Expressway, kickstarting the Konkan Expressway, the Sagari (coastal) Highway, Palghar-Raigad Multimodal corridor, and the long pending Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj statue in the Arabian Sea and the Dr B. R. Ambedkar Memorial in Dadar.

Crime

Mumbai Police Bust Fake Goregaon Call Centre Defrauding Foreigners; 13 Held

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The Mumbai Crime Branch Unit 12 has uncovered a major scam targeting foreign nationals, following a raid on an unauthorised call centre in Goregaon. The update was first shared by Mumbai Police on X, highlighting how unsuspecting victims were tricked into paying large sums of money under the pretext of antivirus software renewal.

Investigations revealed that the accused were sending fraudulent emails, posing as legitimate antivirus renewal alerts. Once the victims responded, they were coerced into purchasing gift cards ranging between $250 and $500. These cards were then redeemed and converted into cryptocurrency, making it nearly impossible for victims to track their losses.

The racket primarily preyed on foreign nationals unfamiliar with the setup. Officials said the scam was designed to create panic among users by suggesting that their computer security had expired, pressuring them into making quick payments.

During the raid, police seized 15 desktop computers, 10 laptops, and 20 mobile phones used to run the fraudulent operations. Documents and data recovered from the systems are now being examined to determine the scale of the fraud and to identify additional victims.

Thirteen individuals have been arrested in connection with the racket. This includes two owners who were running the operation, one manager overseeing daily activities, and ten tele-caller agents responsible for contacting and convincing the victims. Police said the arrests mark a significant step in cracking down on cybercrime networks exploiting international victims.

The Mumbai Police emphasised that this bust highlights the evolving nature of cybercrime and the need for continuous vigilance. Authorities added that further investigations are underway to uncover links with larger international fraud syndicates.

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Maharashtra

Protection of religious places in Bhiwandi road expansion project, MLA Raees Sheikh assures protection of religious places after meeting with Municipal Commissioner

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rais shaikh

Mumbai: Samajwadi Party leader and MLA Raees Sheikh has demanded protection of religious places like mosque, temple, gurudwara, and Samaj Mandir in the Bhiwandi road expansion project. He has also demanded rehabilitation and compensation for the victims of the Bhiwandi and Kalyan road expansion project. Raees Sheikh was being accused of supporting the DP plan to benefit the builder lobby, after which Raees Sheikh met the Municipal Commissioner Bhiwandi Nizampur today and made it clear that the road and DP plan and policy are not prepared by the MLA. He said that the road expansion and DP plan should be changed and the protection of religious places should be ensured, on which the Municipal Commissioner Bhiwandi Nizampur assured Raees Sheikh that the protection of religious places will be maintained. If it is an obstacle in the survey, then necessary changes should be made in the project along with ensuring their protection. He said that religious places of any nature will be protected.

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Maharashtra

Insights On Mumbai Redevelopment: How The New MahaRERA Consent Waiver Speeds Up Projects

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On September 9, 2025, the Bombay High Court issued a ruling that removes one of the biggest hurdles in Mumbai’s redevelopment landscape. The Court held that new developers do not need two-thirds consent from allottees of a terminated developer to register with the Maharashtra Real Estate Regulatory Authority (MahaRERA). This clarification could unlock thousands of stalled projects, paving the way for faster redevelopment across the city.

Redevelopment has long been central to addressing Mumbai’s housing crunch. The city faces a shortage of nearly 400,000–450,000 units, with over 19,000 cessed buildings and 25,000 dilapidated structures at risk. Mumbai also leads the country in stalled projects, with more than 2,000 delayed, often because of regulatory bottlenecks. By removing the consent requirement, the Court has created a clearer, quicker pathway for societies and developers to move forward.

The ruling arose from a petition by Tuvin Constructions LLP against MahaRERA’s insistence on consent from allottees of the terminated developer in the Vilas Vaibhav Co-operative Housing Society project.

The society’s original 2014 agreement with Aditya Developer was terminated in 2023 by arbitral award.

In October 2024, the society appointed Tuvin as the new developer.

When Tuvin sought MahaRERA registration in March 2025, consent under Section 15 of RERA was demanded.

The Court, led by Justices Riyaz Chagla and Farhan Dubash, held there was no privity of contract between the new developer and the old allottees, directing MahaRERA to process registration without delay.

The judges emphasized: once an erstwhile developer’s rights are terminated, old allottees cannot extend claims to the new developer.

Consent Not Needed: No two-thirds consent required from old allottees once a termination is legally valid.

Society-Led Decisions: Registration can proceed with the society’s new agreement.

Legal Consistency: Court reaffirmed that there is no contractual link between the new developer and prior purchasers.

Immediate Effect: Request for a stay was declined; registration to move forward promptly.

Redevelopment is already reshaping Mumbai: by May 2024, over 31,000 projects were approved, with 15–25% of registrations tied to redevelopment. Yet, MahaRERA has suspended 4,800 projects for non-compliance, while 7,500 cases remain pending. Many of these stem from consent disputes—the very issue addressed by this ruling.

For societies, the ruling brings:

Faster timelines: Restart projects in weeks instead of months.

Stronger bargaining power: Better terms on carpet area, amenities, and possession timelines.

Legal clarity: Provided the termination is sound (e.g., arbitral award), fresh registration no longer hinges on old allottee consent.

Important: This does not change the rule that 51% member approval is required at the initial redevelopment stage. The ruling applies only to post-termination registrations.

Claims by purchasers under the old developer remain with that developer.

The decision prevents viable projects from being trapped in consent disputes, increasing the supply of redeveloped housing stock.

Yes, where a previous developer’s rights are legally terminated and a new developer is appointed.

Societies must pass a resolution, sign a new development agreement, and file Form A for MahaRERA registration—no old allottee consents needed.

Yes. By removing one of the most contentious hurdles, the ruling should significantly cut timelines for many stalled projects.

Absolutely. Full disclosure, adherence to timelines, and regulatory transparency remain mandatory.

This verdict marks a turning point for Mumbai’s redevelopment journey. By streamlining the consent process, it ensures that societies, developers, and ultimately homebuyers benefit from faster, fairer redevelopment.

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