BDA must register housing projects under K-RERA, says Housing Department

Bengaluru: Registration of all housing projects under the Karnataka Real Estate Regulatory Authority (K-RERA) has been made mandatory under the Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act, 2016.

The rule applies to every residential project undertaken anywhere in Karnataka, including Bengaluru city, irrespective of whether it is implemented by private developers or government agencies.

The Act clearly states that all real estate projects must be registered with K-RERA before they are advertised or sold. This provision is applicable not only to private builders but also to government-run housing agencies such as the Bengaluru Development Authority (BDA).

Despite this clear mandate, the BDA has so far failed to comply with K-RERA directives. In November 2025, K-RERA had issued a specific order directing the BDA to register its flagship Nadaprabhu Kempegowda Layout project within two weeks. However, the authority has not implemented the order even after several months.

It has also been pointed out that several advertisements released by BDA for its housing schemes do not mention any K-RERA registration number, which is a mandatory requirement under the Act. This has raised serious concerns among home buyers and consumer rights groups.

Taking note of the issue, the Karnataka Home Buyers Forum filed a formal complaint with the state Housing Department in January, urging the government to ensure strict implementation of RERA provisions. The forum demanded that no exemption should be granted to BDA from RERA registration norms and that it must be treated on par with private developers.

Following an examination of the complaint, the Housing Department has now written to the Secretary of K-RERA directing the authority to verify the issues raised by the applicants and take necessary action as per the provisions of the RERA Act and Rules. The department has also sought a detailed report on the action taken in this regard.

What did the K-RERA order say?

The original order was passed by a K-RERA bench comprising Chairman K. Rakesh Singh and member G.R. Reddy while hearing a complaint filed by Ramachandra Nayak and others against the BDA. In its landmark ruling, the authority categorically stated that BDA falls within the ambit of the Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act, 2016.

The order declared that since BDA undertakes the sale of residential sites and layouts, it qualifies as a “promoter” under Section 2(zk) of the Act. Therefore, the Nadaprabhu Kempegowda Layout must be treated as a “real estate project” and compulsorily registered under Sections 3 and 4 of the Act.

The bench rejected BDA’s argument that it is a statutory body engaged in public welfare activities and therefore exempt from RERA. It ruled that the purpose of the project—whether commercial or welfare-oriented—is irrelevant under the law. Any authority selling developed sites to the public automatically comes under the definition of a promoter, it said.

K-RERA further observed that the objective of the RERA Act is to ensure transparency, accountability and protection of consumer interests. Hence, RERA provisions will have overriding effect over other laws, including the BDA Act, in matters relating to development and sale of residential projects.

“BDA continues to ignore the K-RERA order even after a clear directive. That is why we approached the Housing Department seeking intervention. Now the department has asked K-RERA to take appropriate action,” said Dhananjaya Padmanabhachar, convenor of Karnataka Home Buyers Forum.

With the Housing Department stepping in, pressure is mounting on the BDA to finally comply with RERA norms and bring its projects under the regulatory framework. Home buyers hope the latest move will ensure greater transparency and legal protection in government housing schemes.

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