How to Check RERA and Litigation Before Buying Property in India

To check a property before buying in India, do two searches. First, find the project on your state RERA portal and read its registration, completion date and complaints. Second, search court records by name for cases against the seller, the builder and past owners, using the eCourts services portal and the High Court site. Neither search proves clear title.

Last updated: 6 November 2026

In short

• Each state's RERA authority runs its own website. Some Union Territories use another state's portal, and the central list shows a few states and UTs with no website set up. Find the project by name or registration number.
• Read the promoter details, the promised completion date, extensions and complaints before you pay a token amount.
• Search eCourts by party name for the seller, the builder and each promoter. Do this in the district courts and in the High Court.
• Also check NCLT and DRT for builder insolvency and bank recovery cases.
• A clean search lowers risk. It does not replace a title search by a lawyer.

Part 1: Check RERA registration

Section 3 of the Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act, 2016 bars a promoter from advertising, marketing, booking or selling in a project without first registering it with the state RERA. Some projects are exempt, for example small projects with land up to 500 square metres or up to eight apartments across all phases. Each state has its own portal and its own menu names.

Where to look, by state

For any other state, use the link on the central list of state RERA websites at rera.mohua.gov.in. Most addresses end in .gov.in, but not all: Uttar Pradesh uses up-rera.in. Do not use a lookalike site that asks for payment.

What to read on the project page

Steps

1. Open your state RERA portal from the official address.
2. Search for the project by name, promoter name or registration number.
3. Open the project page. Note the registration number, validity and completion date.
4. Open the promoter page. Check other projects by the same promoter.
5. Find the complaint search. Check complaints by project and by promoter.
6. Check the lists of lapsed, revoked, abeyance or non-compliance projects, where the state offers them.
7. Save a PDF of every page with the date. You may need it later.

Not every portal offers a completion-date search. Karnataka's menu, for example, lists a form to apply for project completion but no completion-date search. Read the project detail page and the extension status instead.

Part 2: Check litigation against the seller, builder and property

Litigation search is harder than RERA search. No single portal covers every court. Cases are often filed under the name of a person, not a plot. So you search by name, in several places.

Whose names to search

• The registered owner of the land, and each owner in the last 30 years if you can get the chain.
• The seller, if different from the owner.
• The builder company and each director or promoter named on RERA.
• Any person who signed a power of attorney or development agreement.

Where to search

eCourts party-name search, step by step

1. Open services.ecourts.gov.in.
2. Choose Case Status, then the Party Name tab.
3. Select the state, district and court complex where the property sits.
4. Enter the name, at least 3 characters. Try spelling variants, initials and the father's or husband's name.
5. Enter the registration year the form asks for. Repeat for each year you need to cover.
6. Choose pending, disposed or both. Choose both.
7. Enter the captcha and search. Click View on each hit to see the case history, parties and current stage.
8. Repeat for each court complex in the district, and for neighbouring districts if the owner lives elsewhere.

The High Court site works in a similar way. Pick the High Court and bench first. Its party-name search also offers pending, disposed or both.

Limits of a court search

• Name spellings vary. A case under "K. Ramesh" may not show for "Ramesh Kumar".
• Tribunals such as NCLT and DRT are searched on their own sites, not on eCourts.
• A clean result can still miss old or late-uploaded cases.
• The search shows the case title. It does not always show that the case is about your property. Read the case details.

Lis pendens: why a pending case matters

Section 52 of the Transfer of Property Act, 1882 deals with lis pendens, which means a pending suit. In simple words, while a suit in which a right to the property is directly in question is pending, a party to it cannot transfer the property in a way that hurts the other side's rights under the final decree, unless the court allows it. A buyer from that party takes the property subject to the result. The section counts the suit as pending from the day it is filed until the decree is fully satisfied or can no longer be enforced. This is why you search for pending cases before you pay, even if the seller says "no dispute".

Some states, including Maharashtra and Gujarat, have changed this rule by local amendment, so ask your advocate how it applies in your state.

Red flags that should stop you

What these checks do not cover

RERA and court searches look at the project and the people. They do not read the title documents. You still need the sale deeds, encumbrance certificate, land records, approvals and tax receipts reviewed. See how to check property online in India and what to check before buying property in India. For a document-led view, read the 30-year title search report format.

LegiScore produces an AI property title and risk report with a AAA to C rating, for buyers, lawyers and banks. Buyers can start at Rs 999 on legiscore.in/for/property-buyers.

This page is general information, not legal advice. Ask a local advocate to confirm the steps and results for your property.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I check if a project is RERA registered?

Open your state RERA website and search by project name, promoter name or registration number. The registration number on the portal must match the one in the builder's brochure and agreement.

Is RERA registration a guarantee that the title is clear?

No. RERA registration shows the project is on record with the authority. It does not confirm that the land title is clean, so you still need a title search.

How do I search court cases against a builder in India?

Use the eCourts services portal and search by party name in the relevant district. Then repeat on the High Court services site, and check NCLT and DRT for insolvency and recovery cases.

Can I search litigation by property or survey number?

No. The eCourts and High Court case-status searches offer party name, case number, advocate and similar options, not a property search. Search every owner and seller by name, and read each case to see if it names your property.

What is lis pendens and why does it matter?

It means a suit about a property is pending in court. Under Section 52 of the Transfer of Property Act, a buyer from a party to that suit takes the property subject to the final decree, so check for pending cases before paying.

Do all projects need RERA registration?

Most do. The Act exempts some projects, for example small ones with land up to 500 square metres or up to eight apartments across all phases, so a missing registration needs an explanation.