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• Himachal Pradesh Chief Secretary Sanjay Gupta has directed the State Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau to investigate alleged irregularities linked to real estate projects registered under the state’s RERA framework.
• The investigation will examine Joint Development Agreement (JDA) projects and possible violations of Section 118 of the Himachal Pradesh Tenancy and Land Reforms Act, 1972, which restricts land purchases by non-agriculturists.
• Authorities have been given 15 days to submit relevant records and documents relating to project approvals, promoter financial capability assessments and land transactions.
• The order follows allegations surrounding land agreements between local farmers and non-agriculturists, alongside concerns over whether regulatory due diligence requirements were adequately followed by the state’s RERA authority.
• The development comes amid heightened scrutiny of real estate regulation in Himachal Pradesh, including ongoing legal and political attention around land transactions and RERA functioning in the state.
Himachal Pradesh Chief Secretary Sanjay Gupta has ordered an investigation into alleged irregularities linked to real estate projects governed by the state’s Real Estate Regulatory Authority (RERA), directing the State Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau to examine Joint Development Agreement (JDA) projects and related land transactions. Advertisement
According to official directions issued in the past week, both the vigilance authorities and the state RERA have been asked to submit relevant project records and supporting documents within 15 days. The investigation will focus on suspected violations of Section 118 of the Himachal Pradesh Tenancy and Land Reforms Act, 1972, which regulates land ownership and restricts land purchases by non-agriculturists without prior approval.
The probe is expected to examine alleged irregularities in land agreements involving local farmers and non-agriculturist entities linked to certain real estate developments. Officials stated that the vigilance authorities have also been directed to assess whether the state RERA complied with regulatory responsibilities related to examining the financial capability and revenue records of project promoters during project approvals.
According to the official communication referenced in the reports, the Chief Secretary had previously sought information and documents relating to multiple projects on several occasions. However, the required records were allegedly not submitted despite repeated reminders issued to the regulatory authority.
The investigation comes at a time when real estate regulation and land transactions in Himachal Pradesh are already under increased scrutiny. In recent months, allegations linked to land agreements and possible violations of Section 118 have surfaced in connection with housing projects in the state, particularly in Solan district.
The broader functioning of Himachal Pradesh’s RERA framework has also attracted judicial attention this year. Earlier in 2026, the Supreme Court made critical observations regarding the effectiveness of RERA mechanisms while hearing matters linked to the proposed relocation of the Himachal Pradesh RERA office from Shimla to Dharamshala.
Industry stakeholders said the latest investigation could lead to closer scrutiny of approval processes, land aggregation structures and compliance mechanisms adopted in hill-state real estate projects, particularly those involving JDAs and non-local investment participation.
Source - PTI
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