Appointment of RD Dhiman as Himachal Pradesh RERA chairman challenged

The Himacahal Pradesh High Court has issued a notice to the Principal Secretary (Housing), Chairman, Himachal Pradesh Real Estate Regulatory Authority (HP RERA), on a petition challenging the appointment of RD Dhiman, former Chief Secretary of the state, as the chairman of HP RERA. While issuing notices, Justice Vivek Singh Thakur and Justice Sushil Kukreja further ordered that “appointment of RD Dhiman, impugned in the main petition, shall be subject to final outcome of the petition.”

The court further directed the respondents to file their responses on or before next date of hearing and listed the matter for consideration on September 15.

The court passed this order on a petition filed by Rajeev Verma, former member of HP RERA, alleging therein that the state government has ignored the order of preference mentioned in the recommendation of the Selection Committee headed by the Chief Justice of the HP High Court and other two members, Principal Secretary (Housing) and Principal Secretary (Law), constituted for the appointments of chairman and two members of HP RERA, while appointing Dhiman as chairman of RERA.

It was contended that as per the recommendations of the Selection committee, the petitioner was at serial no. 1 in order of preference and Dhiman was at serial no.2. Despite that, instead of acting on the recommendation in terms of preference, the state has appointed Dhiman as chairman of the RERA contrary to the Rules of the Himachal Pradesh Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Rules, 2017.

Dhiman was appointed by the state government on June 25, 2025 as chairman of the HP RERA.