26 April,2014 08:57 AM IST | | Varun Singh
The EC had ordered the state’s housing authority to postpone the draw, applications for which were slated to be accepted from April 15
For the first time since 2010, the Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority (MHADA) lottery had to be delayed by 15 days, thanks to the Lok Sabha polls.
The MHADA lottery which was expected to be held on May 31, is now scheduled for June 15
The procedure of accepting applica- tions for homes, which was expected to begin from April 15 will now start from May 6. Consequently, the lottery, which was scheduled for May 31, will now be held on June 15.
The housing authority is holding the lottery for 2,641 homes across Powai, Pratiksha Nagar, Santacruz, Kurla and Virar. Earlier, the applications were going to be accepted online from April 15.
However, the election commission ordered MHADA to postpone the lottery. Sources in MHADA say that the work should start from April 28 and people will be allowed to apply online from May 6. The lottery is expected to be held at Rangsharda in Bandra (West) on June 15.
While the commission directed the housing authority to delay the lottery proceedings, Yusuf Abrahani, chairman of MHADA's Mumbai board was against postponing it, stating that the houses are for the common man and the lottery doesn't influence voters in any way.
He is expecting to get the approval from the EC to begin the lottery proceedings in a day or two. "We are expecting a clearance from the EC soon and will start the work for the lottery. Our aim is to provide affordable housing to the public and hopefully the EC will lift the ban soon," he said.
