The Enemy Property (Amendment and Validation) Third Ordinance, 2016 has been promulgated by the President of India with the aim of making amendments to the existing Enemy Property Act, 1968 and Public Premises (Eviction of Unauthorised Occupants) Act, 1971. It shall be deemed to have come into force by 7th January, 2016.
The amendments executed through this Ordinance include, amendment in Section 5 by which clause (3) has been inserted in the provision which states that “The enemy property vested in the custodian shall, notwithstanding that the enemy or the enemy subject or the enemy firm has ceased to an enemy due to death extinction winding up of business or change of nationality or that the legal heir and successor is a citizen of India or the citizen of a country which is not an enemy, continue to remain, save as otherwise provided in this Act, vested in the Custodian.”
While a newly inserted section 5A provides for issue of certificate by custodian to declare that the enemy property vests in him. While the newly inserted section 5 B provides that the law of succession does not apply to enemy property.
Further, the Ordinance, by the virtue of section 6, also restricts the transfer of any property which is vested in the custodian by an enemy or enemy subject or enemy firm.
The Ordinance further inserts a new Section 8 A which deals with Sale of property by Custodian which also imposes a liability on the custodian to preserve the enemy property till the time is duly disposed off in accordance with the provisions of the Act.Section 10 confers the power to issue a certificate of sale by the custodian.
Section 18 provides provisions for transfer of property which is vested as an enemy property in certain cases and the sub-clause A of the same confers the right to not return the income made from an enemy property but from its sales. The section further lays the jurisdiction of the competent court, in which an aggrieved matter can be raised.
The Ordinance further repealed The Enemy Property (Amendment and Validation) Second Ordinance, 2016. Further, action taken under the Enemy Property Act, 1968 as amended by the said Ordinance, shall be deemed to have been done or taken under the corresponding provisions of the said Act, as amended by this Ordinance.
Ministry of Law and Justice
