President Clears Enemy Property (Amendment And Validation) Ordinance For Fifth Time

President Pranab Mukherjee on Thursday re-promulgated the Enemy Property (Amendment and Validation) Fifth Ordinance, 2016, which is a nearly 50-year old law to guard against claims of succession or transfer of properties left by the people who migrated to Pakistan and China after the wars.

The amendments aim to plug the loopholes in the principal Act to ensure that the enemy properties worth thousands of crores of rupees vested in the Custodian do not revert to the enemy, enemy subject or enemy firm.

‘Thus, in the larger public interest and to safeguard the interest of Central Government, the Enemy Property (Amendment and Validation) Fifth Ordinance, 2016 (8 of 2016) has been promulgated,’ the notification stated. It stated that taking advantage of the interpretations of various judgments passed by the courts, claims by legal heirs and successors of enemy nationals are being made to regain the properties.

‘The Government of Pakistan has disposed of all the properties of Indians impounded by them in Pakistan, including in erstwhile East Pakistan,’ it further added. While the President has given his nod, he reportedly expressed reservations and questioned the Centre’s move to push another ordinance, fifth in a row.