• India
  • Aug 09

Short Takes / Public premises eviction

Parliament passed a Bill on August 6 for speedy eviction of unauthorised occupants from government residential accommodations, with Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri saying the legislation will have a deterrent effect.

The Upper House passed by voice vote the Public Premises (Eviction of Unauthorised Occupants) Amendment Bill, 2019, which has strict provisions to evict illegal occupants from government property allotted to members of the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha and government officials.

The Bill, which was passed by the Lok Sabha on July 31, would enable the estate officer to apply summary proceedings for evicting the unauthorised occupants after a three-day notice.

Puri added that there are more than 3,000 unauthorised occupants of government accommodations. He said that this time 300 new MPs have been elected and several of them are waiting for accommodation.

Background

The Centre has to evict unauthorised occupants from government accommodations under the provisions of PPE Act, 1971. However, the eviction proceedings take an unusually long time, thereby reducing the availability of government accommodation to new incumbents.

Under the PPE Act, 1971, as amended by PPE Amendment Bill, 2015, the eviction proceeding takes around five to seven weeks’ time. However, it takes much longer, even years, to evict unauthorised occupants.

Under the amended Bill, the state officer will not have to follow elaborate proceedings like serving notice, show cause or inquiry. Rather, he or she can initiate summary eviction proceedings.

The amendments would enable the estate officer to apply summary proceedings for evicting unauthorised occupants from residential accommodations and to levy damage charges for accommodation held during the period of litigation.

This Bill will result in speedy eviction of unauthorised occupants from government residences and increased availability of accommodations for eligible persons.

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