New Delhi, March 14: The Enemy Property (Amendment and Validation) Bill, 2016, which amends the Enemy Property Act, 1968, has been passed in the Lok Sabha, incorporating the amendments made by the Rajya Sabha last week.
According to the bill, Enemy property refers to any property belonging to, held or managed on behalf of an enemy, an enemy subject or an enemy firm. The government has vested these properties in the Custodian of Enemy Property for India, an office instituted under the central government.
The purpose of bill is to clarify the 1968 Act. Inheritance law will not be applicable on Enemy Property. This will put an end to the long pending issue which should have ideally happened in 2010 when the Bill was introduced. The government brought the amendment bill in the wake of a claim laid by the heirs of Raja Mohammad Amir Mohammad Khan, known as Raja of Mahmudabad, on his properties spread across Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand. The matter is before the Supreme Court.
It has been assured the House that there will be no human rights violations following the amendments as the rights if Indian citizens are not being taken away.(Input from agencies)
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