The Central Government is planning to amend the Enemy Property Act to take direct possession of enemy properties. Under this, the government will get the right to directly control enemy property for public use. The Center has sold properties worth ₹ 3,494.93 crore in the last six years.
The central government is preparing to bring changes in the ‘Enemy Property Act’. These changes will give the government even more rights over enemy properties. Meaning, the government will be able to directly become the owner of these properties and use them in ‘public interest’. According to this law of 1968, the properties which are considered to be of enemy countries remain with the ‘Custodian of Enemy Property’.
Neither can they get any heir, nor can they be sold. Some changes were made in it in 2017, which made the definition of ‘enemy citizen’ and ‘enemy company’ a little more clear. But now the government wants to have direct control over these properties. If sources are to be believed, these changes have become necessary after the Supreme Court’s decision in a case related to Lucknow Municipal Corporation.
Enemy properties will be used in public interest
The government says that it can take over these properties for ‘public interest’ or any other purpose. And the ‘custodian’ will have to transfer these properties to the government without any hindrance. These changes are proposed under Section 5 of the Act. It is reported that this can be discussed in the cabinet this week. And this bill can also be introduced in the Parliament in the budget session.
Enemy properties worth ₹3,494.93 crore sold in six years
In the last six years, the central government has made money by selling enemy properties worth Rs 3,494.93 crore. After the wars with Pakistan in 1965 and 1971 and with China in 1962, the Indian government had seized the properties and businesses of those who had taken Pakistani or Chinese citizenship. Under the ‘Defence of India Rules’, which were made under the ‘Defence of India Act, 1962’, these properties were handed over to the ‘Custodian’. The job of the ‘Custodian’ is to manage these properties on behalf of the government.
A group of ministers monitors the sale
In January 2018, the government told the Lok Sabha that Pakistani citizens owned 9,280 and Chinese citizens owned 126 enemy properties. In the same year, the Cabinet approved the process of selling enemy shares worth more than Rs 3,000 crore. A total of 65,075,877 shares of 996 companies of 20,232 shareholders were identified. In 2020, the central government constituted a ‘Group of Ministers’ headed by Amit Shah. Its job is to oversee the sale of more than 9,400 enemy properties worth about Rs 1 lakh crore.
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