Property Law

The Supreme Court, in an order dated June 11, 2026, directed the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to consider Reliance Industries Limited's master layout plan for a 130-acre waterfront development along the Coastal Road South in Mumbai. The bench of Justices P.K. Mishra and A.S. Chandurkar imposed specific conditions: ticketed or access-controlled recreational facilities must not exceed 15 per cent of the total area, no residential or commercial development for sale o

Transferring property after the death of the owner in India is a process that confuses many families, especially when the paperwork is incomplete or the heirs are unsure where to start. The route you take depends on one threshold question: did the deceased leave a valid will, or did the person die without one? The answer decides whether the property passes by the will or by the law of intestate succession. This guide explains the practical steps to transfer immovable property

A confirmed auction sale under the SARFAESI Act is not beyond challenge if the process that led to it broke mandatory statutory rules. That is the core of the Supreme Court's decision in M.R. Vasumathi v. The Authorized Officer, reported as 2026 INSC 633 and decided in June 2026, which set aside a long-completed auction of mortgaged property and allowed the legal heir to redeem it. The ruling is a significant statement on the limits of an auction purchaser's rights and the pr

Buying a flat is one of the largest financial decisions most people make, and verifying the property documents before paying any token amount is the single most effective way to protect that investment. Document verification confirms that the seller owns what they are selling, that the property is free of loans and disputes, and that the project has the necessary approvals. This checklist walks through what to examine, and pairs with our guide on how to check land records and

The distinction between a lease and a licence is one of the most practically important concepts in Indian property law, and one of the most frequently litigated. Whether an arrangement is a lease or a licence determines the rights of the occupier, the protections available, and the ease with which the grantor can recover the property. The label that parties put on a document is not decisive; courts look at the substance of the arrangement. This guide explains the statutory de

One of the most common and costly misunderstandings in Indian property transactions is the difference between an agreement to sell and a sale deed. People often assume that signing an agreement to sell, or paying part of the price, makes them the owner of the property. In law, it does not. Ownership of immovable property passes only through a properly executed and registered sale deed. This guide explains the difference between the two documents, the governing law, the regist

The Supreme Court has set aside a direction to demolish a fully operational shopping and hotel complex in Navi Mumbai, holding that ordering destruction after seventeen years of commercial use would be disproportionate and contrary to the public interest. In K. Raheja Corp. Private Limited v. State of Maharashtra (2026 INSC 551), the Court ruled that where the wrong arising from an irregular land allotment is financial rather than physical, the appropriate remedy is monetary

The right of a homebuyer to claim interest for delayed possession under Section 18 of the Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act, 2016 (RERA) is an unqualified statutory right that does not depend on the fine print of the builder-buyer agreement. That principle was firmly reiterated by the Bombay High Court on 9 June 2026, when it dismissed a batch of appeals filed by a developer challenging interest awarded to homebuyers in the Runwal Infinity project at Nahur, Mulund.

Cancelling a flat booking and obtaining a refund from a builder is one of the most common real estate disputes in India. The Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act, 2016 (RERA) provides a structured framework for both buyer-initiated and builder-default cancellations, with specific provisions under Sections 18 and 19 that protect homebuyer rights. This guide explains the grounds for cancellation, the refund entitlements, the RERA complaint process, and the practical ste

Converting agricultural land to non-agricultural (NA) use is a mandatory legal requirement before any residential, commercial, or industrial construction can take place on farmland in India. The process is governed by state-specific revenue and land laws, and failure to obtain proper conversion can result in demolition orders, penalties, and criminal proceedings. This guide explains the general framework, the state-specific variations, and the step-by-step process for land co

The Karnataka High Court has stayed the applicability of the Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act, 2016, commonly known as RERA, to projects of the Bangalore Development Authority on lands acquired before 2016. The interim order was passed by Justice Suraj Govindaraj in a petition filed by the BDA against the Union of India and others, and was reported in the first week of June 2026. The court will now examine a question with wide implications for homebuyers across Ka

A registered release deed executed by a coparcener, releasing his share in joint family property for consideration, takes effect immediately and divests his coparcenary interest at once, without depending on any further act of implementation. The Supreme Court laid down this principle in P. Anjanappa (deceased) by legal representatives v. A.P. Nanjundappa, reported as 2025 INSC 1286, a decision that clarifies how release deeds and family settlements operate in Hindu joint fam

Property mutation, known in many states as dakhil kharij or namantaran, is the process of updating the revenue or municipal records to reflect a change in ownership of a property. After you buy, inherit or otherwise acquire a property, mutation records your name in the local land or property tax records. This guide explains what mutation is, why it matters, the documents you need, the step by step process including online options, and the fees and timelines involved. Mutation

Knowing how to check land records and property ownership online in India has become essential for anyone buying property, settling an inheritance, or simply confirming who legally owns a plot. Most states now maintain digital land record portals where you can view ownership details, survey information and transaction history without visiting a government office. This guide explains the portals to use, the documents you can obtain, the details you need to keep ready, the costs

Disputes between landlords and tenants are among the most common legal conflicts in India, and illegal eviction is one of the most distressing situations a tenant can face. Whether your landlord has changed the locks, cut off water or electricity, or threatened you into vacating without legal process, the law provides clear remedies. This guide explains the legal protections available to tenants in India, the grounds on which a landlord can lawfully seek eviction, the process