Indian Lok Sabha passes Enemy Property Bill, 2016

NEW DELHI: Lok Sabha passed the Enemy Property (Amendment and Validation) Bill, 2016 on Tuesday according to which inheritance rights will be denied to the heirs of individuals who left India to live in Pakistan and China.

The amendment was necessitated by the claim made by the Raja of Mahmudabad of Uttar Pradesh on properties belonging to his father; which were declared enemy property and seized by the government of India following partition.

Home minister Rajnath Singh said the purpose of the bill was to clarify the rules of inheritance law. The government had passed an ordinance to enforce the law.

Singh denied the contention of some MPs that the bill was against “natural justice” and “human rights”, stating that Pakistan had seized the properties of Indian citizens and it was only natural that the property of those who migrated to Pakistan was not returned to their descendents.

Home minister Singh said that a system, “Sanad kabooliat”, was instituted in 1857 where the individuals who had helped suppress the 1857 revolt were given properties on the condition that they would pledge support to the English.

Singh said Raja of Mahmudabad’s ancestors had secured “talukdari” by signing the bond with the English; hence neither the father nor the son could get rights to the properties.