EMD (Earnest Money Deposit)
An EMD is a refundable deposit a bidder pays before an auction opens, proving they intend to bid. In a government plot auction it is usually a percentage of the reserve price or a fixed slab, and it is adjusted into the purchase price if you win and returned if you do not. Across the schemes PropIQ tracks, EMD is set at 5% of the reserve at RIICO (minimum ₹25,000), 10% of the reserve at MDA published per plot, and a fixed slab at CHB.
Worth knowing
- Miss the EMD deadline and the bid cannot be placed at all — it closes with registration, not on the auction day.
- The EMD is forfeited if you win and then fail to pay, which is the single most expensive mistake in a plot auction.
Questions people ask
What is EMD in a government plot auction?
An EMD is a refundable deposit a bidder pays before an auction opens, proving they intend to bid. In a government plot auction it is usually a percentage of the reserve price or a fixed slab, and it is adjusted into the purchase price if you win and returned if you do not. Across the schemes PropIQ tracks, EMD is set at 5% of the reserve at RIICO (minimum ₹25,000), 10% of the reserve at MDA published per plot, and a fixed slab at CHB.
What should a bidder watch for with emd?
Miss the EMD deadline and the bid cannot be placed at all — it closes with registration, not on the auction day.
Anything else about emd?
The EMD is forfeited if you win and then fail to pay, which is the single most expensive mistake in a plot auction.