Bill to curb land grabbing receives president's nod

A bill providing for measures to curb organised attempts to grab government land and punishment up to three years for violation has received the President's assent, Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister T B Jayachandra said on Thursday.

"The President of India has given assent to the Karnataka Land Grabbing Prohibition Bill, 2011," he told reporters here. Jayachandra said the bill provides for measures to curb organised attempts to grab lands belonging to the government, Wakf or Hindu Religious institutions and Charitable endowments, local authorities or other statutory or non statutory bodies owned, controlled or managed by the Government.

According to the bill, the government may institute speedy inquiry into alleged land grabbing and for trial of cases, by notification, constitute a special court, Jayachandra said. With this law, land-grabbing in any form is prohibited and declared unlawful, he said.

Those who contravene provisions of the Act — as also those who commit other offences in connection with land grabbing — shall, on conviction, be punished with imprisonment for a term which shall not be less than one year but which may extend to three years, and with a fine that may be up to Rs 25,000, Jayachandra said.