Under Section 52 of the Transfer of Property Act, 1882, the doctrine of lis pendens provides that:

Section 52 of TPA, 1882 codifies the equitable doctrine of lis pendens (literally, "a pending suit or action"). During the pendency before any court of authority within India of any suit or proceeding in which any right to immovable property is directly and specifically in question, no party to the suit may transfer or deal with the property so as to affect the rights of any other party under any decree or order that may be passed, except under the authority of the court on such terms as it may impose. A transfer in violation of Section 52 is not void ab initio it is merely subject to the outcome of the pending litigation, meaning the transferee takes the property subject to whatever decree is ultimately passed. Notice of the litigation is irrelevant; the doctrine binds the transferee regardless of knowledge of the pending suit.