Proceedings under Enemy Property Act; land property of those who migrated to Pakistan to be attached

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Union Home Ministry has proposed to conduct an inventory and valuation of properties of Malayalis who migrated to Pakistan before and after independence. The action is under the Enemy Property Act, 1968.

People who possess these properties will be evicted immediately and mortgaging these properties in banks will be banned. Sub-Registrar and District Collectors will soon be instructed by the Land Revenue Commissionerate that transfer of land and title deed registration should not be done.

It was found that property has been acquired and transferred by the heirs or other legatees of those who migrated to Pakistan. The central government started intervening after the central intelligence agencies gave a report about this. The Union Home Ministry had directed the state government to appoint a custodian to safeguard the property. Although the government issued an order appointing the Land Revenue Commissioner as a custodian, no further action was taken.

40.59 Acre of "Enemy Land''

• 40.59 acres of land in the name of 63 individuals in Kannur, Kozhikode, Malappuram and Palakkad districts have been declared as enemy property. Most of the land is in Malappuram.
• The properties of the Malayalees who migrated to Pakistan were declared and taken over as enemy property under the provisions of the Enemy Property Act, 1968, but were not protected or demarcated.
• The central directive is to complete the processes like survey, demarcation and price determination immediately. It has also been proposed to carry out Land Mutation of these properties in the name of the Land Revenue Commissioner who is the custodian. The Center will decide on what to use this land for after completing these steps.