Chandigarh housing board revives GPA transfers for pre-2011 flats for six months

The Chandigarh Housing Board (CHB) has revived its general power of attorney (GPA) transfer policy for a six-month window, the board's Board of Directors decided at its 435th meeting on 3 November 2026. The policy applies only to GPAs executed before 11 October 2011. The same meeting recommended a one-time interest waiver of about ₹20 crore for small-flat licensees. Neither decision is in force yet.

What the policy covers

A GPA lets one person act for another in dealings with property, but it does not transfer legal ownership. The Supreme Court held this in the Suraj Lamp case, where it also set the 11 October 2011 cut-off. CHB stopped accepting GPA and special power of attorney (SPA) transfer applications from January 2018, after a UT Finance Department direction dated 19 December 2017. That direction said no title transfer or mutation could be carried out only on the basis of a GPA or SPA, and that wills made with them were not to be considered.

The Chief Secretary, H Rajesh Prasad, who chairs the CHB, described the GPA step as "a one-time exception for a period of six months". He said the measures take effect only after the UT Administrator approves them, subject to the conditions in the final approval. The exact opening and closing dates of the window have not been stated. The transfer fee for GPA cases has also not been announced.

Nirmal Datt, chairman of the CHB Residents' Welfare Federation, said the move could benefit nearly 30,000 house owners. That is his estimate as a stakeholder, not a CHB figure. He also asked the board to clarify the transfer fee. He said many buyers hold possession and documents but still face legal hurdles in getting formal ownership. He has also raised an open question: whether the revived window will stay limited to pre-October 2011 transactions or extend to other eligible old cases.

The interest waiver and licence fees

The board recommended a one-time waiver of about ₹20 crore, which it said would benefit about 14,000 allottees and their families. It covers licensees under the Small Flats Scheme-2006 and the Affordable Rental Housing Complex (ARHC) scheme, including those whose licences were cancelled for non-payment.

To qualify, licensees must clear all dues outstanding as on 31 October 2026. They may pay in one instalment or in instalments before 31 October 2027, or before the expiry of the term, whichever is earlier.

The board also proposed changes to ARHC licence fees. Allotments under ARHC were made at a monthly licence fee of ₹3,000, while the Small Flats Scheme-2006 charged ₹800. The proposal would match the Small Flats rate for beneficiaries whose gross annual income from all sources is below ₹1.5 lakh. Indian Opinion, as reported, adds that the cut would also cover priority ration card holders, disabled persons, destitutes and widows. That extension is not in the CHB's own description of the proposal, so it should be checked against the final order.

What happens next

The policy and the waiver both depend on approval from UT Administrator Gulab Chand Kataria. Until he approves them, the GPA window and the waiver cannot be used. The conditions will be set out in the final approval, so the detailed terms should be read from that order.

• Owners holding flats under GPA should keep their possession papers, GPA and sale documents ready.
• Licensees with dues should check their outstanding amount as on 31 October 2026.
• Anyone planning to use the GPA window should wait for the approved order for the fee, dates and eligibility rules.

For buyers, the change matters because flats held only under a GPA are difficult to sell or to offer as loan security without a clear title. For the CHB, the waiver trades short-term revenue for faster recovery of old dues and cleaner records.