Extra Tower, Smaller Park, New Floors? What RERA Section 14 Says About Changing the Approved Plan
When a Bengaluru builder proposes changing sanctioned plans or specifications, RERA Section 14 separates minor alterations, which need competent authority approval and disclosure to allottees, from major ones, which also need two-thirds of allottees to agree.
Eighteen months after booking a flat on Sarjapur Road, a buyer receives a circular from the developer. The project will now have an additional tower on land shown in the brochure as open space, and the clubhouse will move to a different corner. A form at the bottom asks residents to sign their acceptance. Some owners shrug; a tower is a tower. Others notice that the park their children were meant to use has shrunk on the new drawing.
The Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act, 2016 does not leave that decision entirely with the builder. Section 14 sets conditions for changing sanctioned plans and project specifications once they have been approved and disclosed. This guide uses MoHUA's official FAQ on the Act to explain those conditions for a Bengaluru buyer.
The short answer. Under Section 14, a promoter can make minor additions or alterations to sanctioned plans or specifications only after approval of the competent authority and disclosure to allottees. Major modifications need, in addition, the approval of two-thirds of the allottees before the change. Flats held by the promoter are excluded from the count, and each allottee has one vote regardless of how many flats they own. The trade-off: the law gives buyers a real say over major changes, but the line between minor and major is not spelt out in the FAQ, so buyers must ask questions early and in writing.
What does Section 14 allow a builder to change?
MoHUA's Frequently Asked Questions on the Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act, 2016 answers the question in two parts. First, it says that as per Section 14 the promoter can only modify or amend the sanctioned plans or project specifications, after the approval of the competent authority and its disclosure to the allottees, in case of minor additions or alterations.
Second, it says that in case of major modification or alteration, the promoter has to take the approval of two-thirds of the allottees before modifying the sanctioned plans or project specifications.
So every change, minor or major, starts from the same baseline: the plans and specifications that were approved and disclosed. Minor changes need the competent authority's approval and disclosure to you. Major changes need all of that and the consent of two-thirds of allottees.
How is the two-thirds counted?
The FAQ sets two counting rules. For arriving at the number of two-thirds of allottees, the number of apartments held by the promoter is excluded. And irrespective of the number of apartments held by an allottee, that allottee is entitled to only one vote.
Those rules matter in a project where the builder still holds many unsold flats, or where a few investors own several units each. The builder cannot use its own inventory to manufacture a majority, and a handful of large holders cannot outvote everyone else. The same two counting rules apply to a different decision under Section 15, the transfer of a project to another developer, which we covered in today's guide to project transfers under Section 15.
| Type of change | Competent authority approval | Disclosure to allottees | Two-thirds allottee approval | What a buyer should ask for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minor addition or alteration | Required | Required | Not required under the FAQ's description | The approval and the disclosure, in writing |
| Major modification or alteration | Required | Required | Required, before modifying | The consent process and the vote count |
| Counting the two-thirds | Not applicable | Not applicable | Promoter-held flats excluded | How many allottees are counted |
| Votes per allottee | Not applicable | Not applicable | One vote each, irrespective of flats held | Whether the form asks for one signature per allottee |
| Change already made without consent | Check whether obtained | Check whether made | Check whether obtained | The original and revised plans for a possible complaint |
When is a change minor and when is it major?
The FAQ does not give examples, and this article does not try to draw the line for you. What a buyer can do is test any proposed change against the questions that matter to an owner. Does it change common areas, such as open space, the clubhouse or parking? Does it add floors or units, increasing density? Does it alter your own flat's size, layout or specifications? Changes that touch those areas are the ones to scrutinise most closely.
If the builder describes a change as minor, ask for the competent authority's approval and for the reasoning in writing. If you believe it is major, say so in writing and ask how the two-thirds consent will be obtained. Your written question becomes part of the record whichever way the matter goes.
Our earlier piece on plan changes and project transfers for Mumbai buyers covers the same two sections from the Mumbai side.
How should you respond to a consent form?
Read the revised drawing before the form. A consent form may summarise the change in a sentence or two; the drawing shows what actually moves. Compare the revised plan with the sanctioned plan you received at booking and with the project's disclosures on the Karnataka RERA portal.
Then look at what the form asks you to agree to. A form that seeks consent to a specific, described change is different from one that seeks open-ended consent to future changes. If the wording is broad, you can ask for it to be limited to the change described, or decline to sign. Keep a copy of whatever you sign or refuse.
Finally, talk to other allottees. Because the threshold is two-thirds of allottees, with one vote each, the outcome depends on how many owners engage. An informed group that responds together is more effective than individuals who sign or ignore the form one by one.
What should you check on the RERA portal after a change?
The project's page on the Karnataka RERA portal is the public record of what the builder has told the regulator. MoHUA's FAQ explains that under Section 11 the promoter is required to update all project information furnished at the time of registration on the Authority's website, and that certain information must be updated on a quarterly basis so that buyers can make an informed choice. It adds that Section 4 and Section 11 together provide a detailed list of disclosures for public viewing.
That gives you a simple test. After a plan change is proposed or approved, check whether the project's page reflects it. If the builder says the competent authority has approved a minor change, the revised approval should eventually appear in the project's records. If the page still shows the old plan while the site shows the new one, ask why in writing.
Take dated screenshots of the relevant pages before and after the change. If a dispute arises later, a record of what the portal showed, and when, can matter as much as the builder's circulars.
What if the builder goes ahead without the required approvals?
The FAQ notes that Section 31 allows an aggrieved person to file a complaint with the Regulatory Authority or the Adjudicating Officer for violations of the Act. It also lists Section 14 among the provisions under which the Adjudicating Officer decides compensation disputes, weighing factors such as the amount of loss and any disproportionate gain to the promoter.
Before any complaint, assemble the paper trail: the sanctioned plan disclosed at booking, the revised plan, any circular or consent form, your written questions and the builder's replies. Whether you are in a large Sarjapur Road project such as Modern Spaaces Soulace or any other, that file is what an Authority will read.
- Keep the sanctioned plan and specifications you received at booking, along with the brochure.
- When a change is proposed, get the revised drawing, not just the summary.
- Ask in writing whether the builder treats the change as minor or major, and why.
- For a minor change, ask for the competent authority's approval and the formal disclosure.
- For a major change, ask how the two-thirds consent will be counted, with promoter flats excluded and one vote per allottee.
- Read the consent form for open-ended wording before signing, and keep a copy either way.
- Coordinate with other allottees, and keep a dated file in case a complaint is needed.
Is every plan change bad for buyers?
No. Some changes respond to new approvals, safety requirements or practical problems on site, and some improve the project. The point of Section 14 is not to freeze a project but to make sure owners are told about changes and, for major ones, have a collective say. A buyer who reads the drawing, asks the right questions and votes deliberately is using the law as intended.
Frequently asked questions
Can a builder change the sanctioned plan after I have booked a flat?
MoHUA's RERA FAQ says that under Section 14 the promoter can only modify or amend sanctioned plans or project specifications, after approval of the competent authority and disclosure to allottees, in case of minor additions or alterations. Major modifications or alterations additionally require approval from two-thirds of the allottees before the plans or specifications are changed.
How are the two-thirds of allottees counted for a plan change?
According to MoHUA's FAQ, the number of apartments held by the promoter is excluded when arriving at two-thirds of allottees, and irrespective of the number of apartments an allottee holds, that allottee is entitled to only one vote. A builder cannot count its own unsold flats, and a multi-flat owner does not get extra votes.
What is the difference between a minor and a major change?
The FAQ distinguishes minor additions or alterations, which need competent authority approval and disclosure to allottees, from major modifications, which also need two-thirds allottee approval. It does not list examples, so treat any change that affects common areas, density, building height or your unit's specifications as a question to raise in writing before accepting it.
What can I do if the builder changes the plan without consent?
MoHUA's FAQ says Section 31 allows an aggrieved person to file a complaint with the Authority or the Adjudicating Officer, and lists Section 14 among the provisions under which the Adjudicating Officer decides compensation disputes. Collect the original sanctioned plan, the revised plan, any consent forms and your agreement before you act.
Last updated 2026-11-13. PropNewz Team.
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