Union Cabinet to introduce Enemy Property Bill in winter session of Parliament

NEW DELHI - The Union Cabinet has decided to bring the Enemy Property (Amendment and Validation) Bill, 2010, in the winter session of Parliament, with the amendments suggested by the Central Government.

The Union Cabinet decided against re-promulgating an ordinance on enemy properties and instead agreed to take the parliamentary route after a long-hour heated discussion on Tuesday evening over the Bill.

The government had proposed certain official amendments in the Bill during the Monsoon session, but because of differences in opinion among the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Samajwadi Party (SP) and the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leaders, the Bill could not be taken up for consideration and passing.

The Cabinet meeting took place a day after BJP delegation, led by senior leader Lal Krishna Advani, called on Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh at his residence here on Monday and held discussions on the Enemy Property Bill.

The United Progressive Alliance (UPA) Government had on August 31 dropped the Enemy Property (Amendment and Validation) Bill in Lok Sabha after the Samajwadi Party and Rashtriya Janata Dal accused the Government of working out a “deal with the BJP against Muslims” of the country.

Earlier on August 30, there was uproar in the Lok Sabha over a Bill to amend a law governing properties left behind by those who went to Pakistan during partition.

The Bill makes it clear that courts would have no jurisdiction over occupation of properties, which have been left behind by those who went to Pakistan at the time of Partition. (ANI)