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Government starts process of eviction and sale of enemy properties

The Union Home Ministry has started the process for eviction and sale of enemy properties, the immovable assets left behind by people who have taken citizenship of Pakistan and China.

There are a total of 12,611 establishments called enemy property, roughly estimated to be worth over ₹1 lakh crore, in the country. The enemy properties are vested with the Custodian of Enemy Property for India (CEPI), an authority created under the Enemy Property Act.

According to a Home ministry notification, the guidelines for disposal of the enemy properties have been changed under which the process for eviction of enemy properties now shall be initiated with the help of the District Magistrate or Deputy Commissioner concerned before the sale of properties.

In case of the enemy properties valued below ₹1 crore, the custodian shall offer for purchase to the occupant first and if offer of purchase is refused by the occupant, then the enemy property shall be disposed of in accordance with the procedure specified in the guidelines, the notification said.

Those enemy properties having valuation of ₹1 crore and below ₹100 crore, shall be disposed of by the CEPI through e-auction or otherwise as may be decided by the central government and at the rate determined by the Enemy Property Disposal Committee.

The e-auction platform of public enterprise, the Metal Scrap Trade Corporation Limited, shall be used by the CEPI for e-auction of enemy properties, the home ministry said.

The government has earned over ₹3,400 crore from disposal of enemy properties, mostly movable assets like shares and gold, officials said. None of the 12,611 immovable enemy property has been monetised so far by the government.