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Thursday, 12 November 2026 Judgments, law jobs and study notes, written by a practising advocate

Specific Relief Act, 1963: Bare Act with All Sections

The complete Specific Relief Act, 1963 (Act No. 47 of 1963), as amended by the Specific Relief (Amendment) Act, 2018. Each section has its own page with the official text, amendment notes and a plain-English explanation.

Also see: Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 · Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 · IPC to BNS Section Converter

Part I: Preliminary

  1. 1 Short title, extent and commencement
  2. 2 Definitions
  3. 3 Savings
  4. 4 Specific relief to be granted only for enforcing individual civil rights and not for enforcing penal laws

Chapter I: Recovering Possession Of Property

  1. 5 Recovery of specific immovable property
  2. 6 Suit by person dispossessed of immovable property
  3. 7 Recovery of specific movable property
  4. 8 Liability of person in possession, not as owner, to deliver to persons entitled to immediate possession

Chapter II: Specific Performance Of Contracts

  1. 9 Defences respecting suits for relief based on contract
  2. 10 Specific performance in respect of contracts
  3. 11 Cases in which specific performance of contracts connected with trusts enforceable
  4. 12 Specific performance of part of contract
  5. 13 Rights of purchaser or lessee against person with no title or imperfect title
  6. 14 Contracts not specifically enforceable
  7. 14A Power of court to engage experts
  8. 15 Who may obtain specific performance
  9. 16 Personal bars to relief
  10. 17 Contract to sell or let property by one who has no title, not specifically enforceable
  11. 18 Non-enforcement except with variation
  12. 19 Relief against parties and persons claiming under them by subsequent title
  13. 20 Substituted performance of contract
  14. 20A Special provisions for contract relating to infrastructure project
  15. 20B Special Courts
  16. 20C Expeditious disposal of suits
  17. 21 Power to award compensation in certain cases
  18. 22 Power to grant relief for possession, partition, refund of earnest money, etc
  19. 23 Liquidation of damages not a bar to specific performance
  20. 24 Bar of suit for compensation for breach after dismissal of suit for specific performance
  21. 25 Application of preceding sections to certain awards and testamentary directions to execute settlements

Chapter III: Rectification Of Instruments

  1. 26 When instrument may be rectified

Chapter IV: Rescission Of Contracts

  1. 27 When rescission may be adjudged or refused
  2. 28 Rescission in certain circumstances of contracts for the sale or lease of immovable property, the specific performance of which has been decreed
  3. 29 Alternative prayer for rescission in suit for specific performance
  4. 30 Court may require parties rescinding to do equity

Chapter V: Cancellation Of Instruments

  1. 31 When cancellation may be ordered
  2. 32 What instruments may be partially cancelled
  3. 33 Power to require benefit to be restored or compensation to be made when instrument is cancelled or is successfully resisted as being void or voidable

Chapter VI: Declaratory Decrees

  1. 34 Discretion of court as to declaration of status or right
  2. 35 Effect of declaration

Chapter VII: Injunctions Generally

  1. 36 Preventive relief how granted
  2. 37 Temporary and perpetual injunctions

Chapter VIII: Perpetual Injunctions

  1. 38 Perpetual injunction when granted
  2. 39 Mandatory injunctions
  3. 40 Damages in lieu of, or in addition to, injunction
  4. 41 Injunction when refused
  5. 42 Injunction to perform negative agreement
  6. 43 Repealed
  7. 44 Repealed