Parliament on Tuesday passed amendments to the Enemy Property Act, which would disallow successors of migrants to Pakistan and China during partition from claiming their properties.
The bill came back to Lok Sabha after Rajya Sabha made changes to it last week. The Lower House incorporated the changes and passed it on voice vote.
According to a government report, India holds assets worth at least Rs 1.07 lakh crore, including 11,882 acre of land belonging to people who migrated to Pakistan after 1965 and 1971 wars.
There are also 149 immovable enemy properties of Chinese nationals spread over Karnataka, West Bengal, Assam, Meghalaya, Tamil Nadu, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Delhi.
When the bill was moved, RSP MP M K Premachandran moved a statutory amendment seeking clarification on properties already acquired by heirs of the enemy property owners.
Home Minister Rajnath Singh responded by saying the amendments will put an end to the long-pending issue of clarifying the aspects of the bill.
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