The Mumbai Building Repair and Redevelopment Board of MHADA has made an important decision to grant conditional possession of tenement to the close heirs of eligible original tenants/residents listed in the master list lottery. This decision was announced by MHADA’s Vice President and CEO, Sanjeev Jaiswal, IAS, during a recent meeting held at the MHADA headquarters. On December 28, 2023, the board conducted a computerized lottery for 265 eligible tenants/residents from old cess buildings listed in the master list to allocate tenements. However, after allotment letters were issued for flat possession, it was observed that many original tenants/residents had passed away. In such cases, where the original tenant/resident is survived by multiple heirs such as spouses or children or parents, obtaining a legal heirship certificate from a competent court takes around six to nine months, causing delays in the distribution of flats. During a special meeting held to address this issue, Jaiswal directed the concerned officials that in cases where the close heirs of the original tenant/resident (such as sons, daughters, parents, or spouses) are eligible, they may be granted conditional possession of the flats after obtaining a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from other relatives. Furthermore, he specified that the beneficiary heirs must submit a legal heirship certificate from a competent court within six months from the date of issuance of the possession receipt. He also mandated obtaining an indemnity bond from the respective heirs/beneficiaries to ensure compliance. Jaiswal clarified that until the legal heirship certificate is submitted, the flat cannot be sold, transferred, or claimed by any third party. This decision is expected to streamline the possession process for beneficiaries and expedite the distribution procedure.