Parliament passes Immovable Property Amendment Bill

Keeping the defence and security purposes in mind, the Parliament today passed a bill to amend the regulations governing the compensation payable for acquisition of immovable property by the Centre. The new bill passed by the Parliament is actually an amendment of the Requisitioning and Acquisition of Immovable Property (Amendment) Bill which was earlier passed by the Rajya Sabha on July 18. The previous bill had some minor amendments and was later returned to the Lok Sabha. it is only yesterday, that it got approved through a voice vote without debate. The amendments made on the bill included changing the year of the Bill.

Giving more updates on the amendment of the bill, Urban Development Minister Hardeep Singh Puri added that it was in December last year when the Lok Sabha had passed the bill and then Rajya Sabha had adopted it on July 18.

Among other issues addressed by the bill, it seeks to amend a provision to allow the Centre to re-issue the notice of acquisition to ensure that the property owner gets an opportunity to be heard.

While replying to a debate on the Bill, the minister added that the law had been amended 11 times earlier. he said, "This is the 12th amendment and it has been brought for limited purpose."

Congress MP Jairam Ramesh too took part in a debate regarding the bill and opined that the Land Acquisition Act, 2013 should not be breached by the Bill. He said that the Land Acquisition Act, 2013 ensures double compensation for land, if acquired for public purpose in urban area, and four times in rural area. The Congress MP stated, "Enhanced compensation was the feature of law for which all political parties had unanimously and enthusiastically supported in September 2013."

The bill seeks to amend a provision to allow the Centre to re-issue the notice of acquisition to ensure that According to that law, compensation for land acquisition for even national security and defence purposes.