Enemy Property Act, 1968

Not to be confused with Enemy Property Act (Bangladesh).

Enemy Property Act, 1968
Parliament of India
Long title An Act to provide for the continued vesting of enemy property vested in the Custodian of Enemy Property for India under the Defence of India Rules, 1962 and the Defence of India Rules, 1971, and for matters connected therewith.
Citation	Act No. 34 of 1968
Territorial extent	whole of India
Passed by	Lok Sabha
Passed	31 July 1968 [1] [2] [3]
Passed by	Rajya Sabha
Passed	August 1968
Assented to by	President Zakir Husain
Assented to	20 August 1968
Effective	10 July 1968
Legislative history
First chamber: Lok Sabha
Bill title	Enemy Property Bill, 1968
Introduced by	Minister of Commerce Dinesh Singh [4]
Introduced	26 July 1968
Passed	31 July 1968
Second chamber: Rajya Sabha
Passed	August 1968
Repeals
Enemy Property Ordinance, 1968 (7 of 1968)
Amended by
Enemy Property (Amendment) Act, 1977 (40 of 1977) Enemy Property (Amendment and Validation) Act, 2017 (3 of 2017)
Status: In force

The Enemy Property Act, 1968 is an Act of the Parliament of India which enables and regulates the appropriation of property in India owned by Pakistani nationals. The act was passed following the Indo-Pakistani War of 1965. ^[5] Ownership is passed to the Custodian of Enemy Property for India, a government department. ^[5] There are also movable properties categorized as enemy properties. ^[5]

Amendments

Enemy Property (Amendment and Validation) Act, 2017

Minister of State for Home Affairs Kiren Rijiju during the Modi Government introduced the Enemy Property (Amendment and Validation) Bill, 2016. ^[6] The measure seeks to replace an ordinance promulgated to this effect on 7 January 2016. ^[6]

The 2016 bill seeks to do the following:

• The Bill amends the Enemy Property Act, 1968, to vest all rights, titles and interests over enemy property in the Custodian of the Enemy Property for India.
• The Bill declares transfer of enemy property by the enemy, conducted under the Act, to be void. This applies retrospectively to transfers that have occurred before or after 1968.
• The Bill prohibits civil courts and other authorities from entertaining disputes related to enemy property. ^[7]

The Bill was passed by the Rajya Sabha on 10 March 2017. ^[8] The Bill, with amendments made in the Rajya Sabha, was passed by the Lok Sabha on 14 March 2017. ^[9]

See also

• Custodian for Enemy Property for India, for the government takeover of property of rulers who migrated to Pakistan
• Transfer of Property Act 1882
• Political integration of India
• Central Wakf Council
• Evacuee Trust Property Board
• Privy Purse in India

References

1. "Lok Sabha Debates". eparlib.sansad.in. Retrieved 22 February 2026.
2. "Lok Sabha Debates of 31-Jul-1968".
3. "THE ENEMY PROPERTY BILL, 1968". rsdebate.nic.in. Retrieved 22 February 2026.
4. "Lok Sabha Debates of 26-Jul-1968" (PDF).
5. "Lok Sabha passes bill to amend Enemy Property Act", The Economic Times , 9 March 2016
6. "Bill to amend Enemy Property Act introduced in Parliament", The Economic Times , 8 March 2016
7. "No court appeal, no succession law: How Bill keeps enemy property with Custodian". The Indian Express. 11 March 2016. Retrieved 14 June 2016.
8. Correspondent, Special (10 March 2017). "Enemy Property Bill passed amid Opposition walkout". The Hindu. Retrieved 14 March 2017.{{cite news}}: |last1= has generic name (help)
9. "Parliament passes Enemy Property bill". The Indian Express. 14 March 2017. Retrieved 14 March 2017.