MUMBAI: Despite geopolitical tensions and global economic slowdown, Mumbai’s property registrations scaled fresh highs in the first four months of 2025.
Citing Maharashtra State Revenue Department data, real estate consultancy firm Anarock said that the overall revenue collected by the authorities from property registrations, and the total registrations in Mumbai in January to April 2025, were at record highs.
An analysis of the data of the Inspector General of Registration (IGR), Maharashtra revealed that the overall revenue collected from property registrations in Mumbai stood at Rs 4,633 crore in first four months of 2025. This is 21 per cent more than last year’s corresponding period when the revenue collected was about Rs 3,836 crore.
In terms of registration numbers, 52,896 properties were registered in the city in the first four months of 2025, against 48,819 in the same period last year. This is an 8 per cent jump this year over 2024.
According to Anarock, a deeper analysis revealed that April 2025 recorded the highest number of property registrations since 2019, with over 13,080 properties registered.
The revenue collected in April 2025 stood at approximately Rs 1,115 crore. In comparison, April 2024 saw around 11,648 property registrations–about 12 per cent lower than this year. Revenue collection last year was also lower by nearly 5 per cent.
Considering that housing sales remained tepid in across MMR (including Mumbai) in January-March 2025, the spate of registrations in the first four months of the year is remarkable.
As per ANAROCK Research, Q1 2025 saw approximately 21,930 units sold in Mumbai – about 28 per cent less than in Q1 2024.
Anuj Puri, Chairman – ANAROCK Group, said, “A key factor behind the surge in property registrations in this period is the record-breaking activity in March, when 15,501 properties were registered. This spike came close on the heels of the announcement of a 3.9 per cent hike in Maharashtra’s ready reckoner rates for FY26.”

The High court noted that it was open for the petitioner to approach an appropriate authority for the misuse of social media and disposed of the petition. File
| Photo Credit: Vivek Bendre

The Bombay High Court on Wednesday (April 30, 2025) disposed of a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by a sitting MLA, Kiran Samant (52) from Rajapur Assembly Constituency in Ratnagiri, Maharashtra, raising grave concerns arising out of rampant misuse and abuse of internet and social media platforms by certain influential personalities.

The petition claimed that under the garb of free speech, the influencers are commercialising their content while deliberately spreading material that is scandalous, derogatory and demeaning to the judiciary and executive of India thereby posing a serious threat to public order, harmony and the rule of law.

The respondents in the matter are Government of India, GOOGLE LLC and satirist and stand-up comedian Kunal Kamra. The MLA has impleaded Mr. Kamra for publishing contemptuous material on YouTube and the Government of India and GOOGLE for failing to regulate such contents.

Calling for enforcement of the IT Act, 2000, and the Intermediary Guidelines (2021), the petitioner has sought judicial directions to ensure accountability, responsible content moderation and protection of the judiciary from being targeted for commercial gain under the cloak of satire or criticism. 

A Division Bench of Chief Justice Alok Aradhe and Justice M. S. Karnik questioned why Mr. Karma was added in the case and said that it is a general PIL asking to curb the misuse of digital platforms by influencers, public personalities and comedians, hence, relief cannot be granted.

“What according to you may be misuse of social media platform, can be free of speech for the society. Who will decide whether it is a use or a misuse? I don’t know how to grant this relief. This is selective targeting. You have impeded only one person but there are several others who say things about judiciary, and you haven’t Impleaded them,” the Bench observed.  

Mr. Samant argued that Mr. Kamra’s tweets calling the Supreme Court “the most Supreme joke of this country” and makes contemptuous remarks about retired Justice D.Y. Chandrachud.

“Kamra posts an image of his fingers on Twitter with a caption aimed at CJI Arvind Bobde, interpreted as showing the middle finger. Contempt proceedings initiated against Mr. Kamra in the Supreme Court; then Attorney General K.K. Venugopal opines that Kamra’s tweets amount contempt. Stand-up video titled ‘Be Like’ uploaded on YouTube by Kamra containing vulgar and demeaning remarks about the judiciary,” the petition said.  

The MLA also said that the comedian makes content to mock independent agencies like the ED, CBI and judiciary and monetises such material through digital platform and recently uploaded a new video titled ‘Naya Bharat A Comedy Special’ on YouTube containing contemptuous content; the video garners 1.25 crore views. 

Hearing the matter, the Bench said, “You cannot determine what is reasonable and what is not. There is a law regulating these platforms and the court decides whether it is offensive or not. This PIL is directed against just responded 3 (Mr. Kamra). If guidelines are breached, you file a complaint, but PIL against an individual cannot be entertained.” 

Senior advocate Darius Khambata argued that the petition seeks order against just one respondent. “The petition seeks direction of vigilance of social media. This matter is before the Supreme Court now.”  

On the petition seeking direction on the formation of a Social Media Vigilance Committee, the Bench said it is in the realm of policy making and thus it cannot issue direction on the prayer and his prayed to direct the IT Ministry to implement the IT Act and Rules is coached in general and wide terms.

The court noted that it was open for the petitioner to approach an appropriate authority for the misuse of social media and disposed of the petition.