By S&S Co. Advocates & Solicitors · Published 23 February 2026 · Informational content, not legal advice: see our disclaimer
What Section 79 Actually Says
Section 79 of RERA provides that no civil court shall have jurisdiction to entertain any suit or proceeding in respect of any matter which the Authority or the Adjudicating Officer or the Appellate Tribunal is empowered to determine under the Act, and no injunction shall be granted by any court in respect of any action taken or to be taken in pursuance of any power conferred under RERA. This is a significant ouster, but it is not unlimited: it applies only to matters that fall within RERA's own subject-matter jurisdiction.
What Clearly Falls Within RERA's Domain
A straightforward complaint by an allottee against a promoter concerning possession delay, refund, compensation, carpet area shortfall, or non-registration of the project falls squarely within the categories RERA's Authority and Adjudicating Officer are empowered to decide, and a civil suit covering the same ground is barred by Section 79.
What Can Still Go to a Civil Court
A dispute between two rival private claimants over who actually holds valid title or a valid allotment to the same specific unit, as opposed to a grievance against the promoter, is generally treated as falling outside RERA's summary complaint mechanism, since it requires the kind of fact-finding, including examination of a disputed chain of documents, that RERA's process is not designed to undertake. Similarly, disputes that predate or fall outside the registered project's builder-buyer relationship altogether, for instance, a dispute over the underlying land title between the landowner and a third party, are not matters RERA is empowered to decide.
Practical Guidance
Before filing, identify whether your dispute is fundamentally promoter-versus-allottee (RERA route) or a contest between rival private claimants or over underlying land title (civil court route). Filing in the wrong forum risks a dismissal on jurisdictional grounds after considerable time has already been spent.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does RERA's jurisdiction bar cover all property disputes involving a registered project?
No: it covers matters RERA's Authority, Adjudicating Officer or Appellate Tribunal are empowered to determine, principally promoter-versus-allottee grievances; disputes between rival private claimants over title or allotment can still go to a civil court.
Can I get an injunction from a civil court against a RERA Authority's action?
Section 79 also bars civil courts from granting an injunction in respect of any action taken or to be taken under powers conferred by RERA.
What if I'm unsure which category my dispute falls into?
Assess whether the core dispute is with the promoter over a builder-buyer obligation, or with a rival claimant over title: the former is RERA's domain, the latter is more likely to require a civil suit.
References & Further Reading
This article references the following statutes, rules and judicial decisions. Case citations link to the fuller discussion in our Legal Updates archive, verified against primary sources at the time of writing.
- Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act, 2016: Section 79 (bar of jurisdiction of civil courts).
- See also our earlier guide, RERA or Consumer Forum? Choosing the Right Forum for a Builder Dispute.