Shimla, May 17 -- The Himachal Pradesh Real Estate Regulatory Authority (HPRERA) has clarified that only five out of 17 real estate projects registered under the Joint Development Agreements (JDAs) since 2020 involve non-agriculturist partners, amid an ongoing controversy over alleged violations of Section 118 of the Himachal Pradesh Tenancy and Land Reforms Act in housing projects across the state. This information was shared by RERA in response to the letter by the additional secretary (housing) seeking information with regards to the housing projects in the state particularly those executed under the JDAs. "A total of 17 projects since 2020 to date have been registered with JDAs. In case of 12 projects, JDA partners are agriculturists. However, projects registered where the JDA partners are non-agriculturists are only five," said RERA chairman RD Dhiman. The reply assumes significance as amid ongoing controversy regarding alleged irregularities under Section 118 of the Tenancy and Land Reforms Act in real estate projects involving non-agriculturalists, in the Chester Hill housing project in Solan district. Chief secretary Sanjay Gupta has directed the Vigilance Bureau to seek all related details from HPRERA. Dhiman clarified, "All five projects where JDA partners are non agriculturists pertain to the period prior to October 17, 2023, when the principal secretary (revenue) had issued a clarification that even the JDA partners also need to be agriculturalists". Denying any violation of the Section 118 of the Tenancy and Land Reforms Act, Dhiman said, "Out of these five also, in respect of projects- Chester Hills-2 and Chester hills-4, chief secretary ( Town and Country Planning) by order in November 2025 had held that no violation of Section 118 has taken place". The provisions of Section 118 of the Himachal Pradesh Tenancy and Land Reforms Act, 1972, prohibits non-agriculturists from owning or developing agriculturist land without prior government sanction. A letter dated May 7, 2026, by Suneel Verma, Additional Secretary (Housing), on behalf of Chief Secretary Sanjay Gupta, had asked the Vigilance Bureau to procure the relevant records and documents relating to all Joint Development Agreement (JDA) real estate projects from RERA. The Chief Secretary has asked the Vigilance Bureau to seek details specifically regarding RERA-registered JDA projects where partners are non-agriculturalists, and JDA projects cancelled with RERA's approval. The Vigilance Bureau has been directed to furnish the complete details sought by the Chief Secretary within 15 days. The Chester Hills project in Solan, Himachal Pradesh, is currently embroiled in a high-profile controversy, with allegations of a multi-crore "land scam" involving 275 bighas of land and accusations of benami dealings, violations of Section 118 of the HP Tenancy and Land Reforms Act. Even revenue minister Jagat Singh Negi had said earlier that preliminary investigations suggest violations involving about 150 bighas of land valued at up to Rs 300 crore, though he cautioned that definitive conclusions must await the final report. The Deputy Commissioner, Solan, is looking into the alleged violations in the Chester Hill housing project, with BJP and CPI (M) making it a major political issue....