Enemy Property

A significant event has taken place in Uttar Pradesh where an enemy property, once belonging to the ancestors of Pakistan’s former President Pervez Musharraf, is now up for sale.

• This property is among several others classified under the Enemy Property Act, 1968, which governs assets belonging to individuals from countries deemed hostile to India, particularly Pakistan and China.
• The Custodian of Enemy Property for India (CEPI) has been tasked with overseeing such properties.

About Enemy Property:

• Enemy property refers to immovable and movable assets left behind by individuals who, after the partition of India or the 1962 and 1965 wars, migrated to Pakistan or China and took citizenship in those countries.
• These properties include real estate, but can also extend to bank accounts, shares, gold, and other valuable assets.
• The Enemy Property Act of 1968 was established to regulate these assets, empowering the CEPI, a body under the Ministry of Home Affairs, to preserve, manage, and control such properties.

The 2017 amendment to the act expanded its scope. It ensured that:

• Legal heirs or successors of those classified as enemies cannot claim ownership of these properties, even if they are Indian citizens.
• The law of succession does not apply, meaning ownership cannot pass down through family lines.
• The custodian must retain and manage these properties until they are lawfully sold or disposed of under the provisions of the Act.

Key facts:

• There are 13,252 enemy properties across India, with a total estimated value exceeding ₹1 lakh crore.
• Most enemy properties belonged to those who migrated to Pakistan, and over 100 to those who migrated to China.
• The state with the highest number of enemy properties is Uttar Pradesh, which accounts for 5,982 properties, followed by West Bengal, with 4,354 properties.

Ref: Source

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