3/20/2016

EnemyPropertyOrdinance,2016Promulgated

PressInformationBureau
GovernmentofIndia
MinistryofHomeAffairs
08January201616:15IST

EnemyPropertyOrdinance,2016Promulgated

ThePresidentofIndiahaspromulgatedtheEnemyProperty(AmendmentandValidation)Ordinance,2016on
January07,2016tomakeamendmentstotheEnemyPropertyAct,1968.
TheamendmentsthroughtheOrdinanceincludethatonceanenemypropertyisvestedintheCustodian,itshall
continuetobevestedinhimasenemypropertyirrespectiveofwhethertheenemy,enemysubjectorenemyfirm
has ceased to be an enemy due to reasons such as death etc that law of succession does not apply to enemy
propertythattherecannotbetransferofanypropertyvestedintheCustodianbyanenemyorenemysubjector
enemyfirmandthattheCustodianshallpreservetheenemypropertytillitisdisposedofinaccordancewiththe
provisionsoftheAct.
TheaboveamendmentstotheEnemyPropertyAct,1968willplugtheloopholesintheActtoensurethatthe
enemy properties that have been vested in the Custodian remain so and they do not revert back to the enemy
subjectorenemyfirm.
The Enemy PropertyAct was enacted in the year 1968 by the Government of India, which provided for the
continuous vesting of enemy property in the Custodian. The Central Government through the Custodian of
Enemy Property for India is in possession of enemy properties spread across many states in the country. In
addition,therearealsomovablepropertiescategorizedasenemyproperties.
ToensurethattheenemypropertycontinuestovestintheCustodian,appropriateamendmentswerebroughtin
bywayofanOrdinanceintheEnemyPropertyAct,1968bythethenGovernmentin2010.
ThisOrdinance,howeverlapsedon6thSeptember,2010andabillwasintroducedintheLokSabhaonJuly22,
2010. However, this bill was withdrawn and another bill with modified provisions was introduced in the Lok
Sabhaon15thNovember,2010.ThisbillwasthereafterreferredtotheStandingCommittee.However,thesaid
billcouldnotbepassedduringthe15thtermoftheLokSabhaanditlapsed.
InthewakeoftheIndoPakwarof1965and1971,therewasmigrationofpeoplefromIndiatoPakistan.Under
the Defence of India Rules framed under the Defence of India Act, the Government of India took over the
properties and companies of such persons who had taken Pakistani nationality. These enemy properties were
vestedbytheCentralGovernmentintheCustodianofEnemyPropertyforIndia.
Afterthe1965war,IndiaandPakistansignedtheTashkentDeclarationon10.01.1966.TheTashkentDeclaration
interaliaincludedaclause,whichsaidthatthetwocountrieswoulddiscussthereturnofthepropertyandassets
takenoverbyeithersideinconnectionwiththeconflict.However,theGovernmentofPakistandisposedofall
suchpropertiesintheircountryintheyear1971itself.
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3/20/2016

EnemyPropertyOrdinance,2016Promulgated

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