The Punjab Requisitioning and Acquisition of Movable Property Act, 1978

PUNJAB GOVT GAZ. (EXTRA.), NOV. I7, 1978 (KARTIKA 26, 1900 SAKA) No. 51-Leg /78.-The following Act of the Legislature of the State of Ponjab received the assent of the President of India on the 27th October, 1978, and is hereby published for general information PARTI DEPARTME NT OF LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS Notification of THE PUNJAB REQUISITIONING AND ACQUISITION OF MOVEABLE PROPERTY ACT, 1978. The 17th November, 1978 PUNJAB ACT No. 35 of 1978. to provide for the requisit ioning and acquisition of moveable property in the State of Punjab. BE it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Punjab in the Twenty ninth Year of the Republic of India, as follows : AN 1. (1)) This Act may be called the Punjab Requisitioning and Acquisition short title of Moveable Property Act, 1978. ACT

1. (2) It extends to the whole of the State of Punjab. Sub-s In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires,
   • (a) competent authority" mcans any officer, not below the rank of District Magistrate, authorised by the Government, by notification, to perform the functions of the competent authority under this Act for such area as may be specified in the notification: (b) "Commissioner" means the Commissioner of the Division ;
   • (c) *Government" means the Government of the State of Punjab; Provided that no Tequisitioned.
   • (d) "motor vehicle" shall have the meaning assigned to it in clause
2. (18) of section 2 of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1939 ;
   • (e) "prescribed" means prescribed by rules made under this Act. J. () Where the competent authority is of the opinion that it is eveSsary or expedient so to do for the maintenance Power to or improvement of ies and supplies essential to the life of the community or for providing moye able requisition iLOT strikes or for the efficient conduct of elections, or for any other DronPurpose, it may, by an order in writing, requisition any moveable evy and may make such further orders as appear to it to be necessary or CAPedient in connection with the requisition : Immediate relief to Persons affected by floods or any other natural calamity, Property. property used for the purpose of religious worship, 0r Vehicle operating on an inter-State permit or the inter-State permit of such vehicle and no aircraft or anything forming part of an aircraft or Connected with the operation, repair or maintenance of aircraft, shall be (<) Where the competent authority has requisitioned any property under FSection (1), it shall vest in the Government for the period of the requisition and extent. Definitijons. PUNJAB GOVT GAZ. (EXTRA), NOV. 17, (KARTIKA Zo, SAKA) -_ PART 1 DEPARTMENT OF LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS Notification The 17th November, No. 51-Leg./78..—The following Act of the Legislature of the State of punjab received the assent of the President of India on the 27th October, 1978, and 1s hereby published for general information :— PUNJAB ACT No. 35 of 1978. THE PUNJAB REQUISITIONING AND ACQUISITION OF MOVEABLE PROPERTY ACT, 1978. AN ACT to provide for the requisitioning and acquisition of moveable property in the State of Punjab. BE it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Punjab in the Twenty- ninth Year of the Republic of India, as follows :— 1. (I) This Act may be called the Punjab Requisitioning and Acquisition of Moveable Property Act, 1978.
3. (2) It extends to the whole of the State of Punjab.

In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires,— (a) "competent authority" means any officer, not below the rank of District Magistrate, authorised by the Government, by notification, to perform the functions of the competent authority under this Act for such area as may be specified in the notification; (b) "Commissioner" means the Commissioner of the Division; (c) "Government" means the Government of the State of Punjab; (d) "motor vehicle" shall have the meaning assigned to it in clause (18) of section 2 of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1939; (e) "prescribed" means prescribed by rules made under this Act.

(1) The competent authority may, at any time, release from requisition any property requisitioned under section 3 and shall, as far as possible, restore the property in as good a condition as it was when possession thereof was taken, subject only to the changes caused by reasonable wear and tear. (2) Where any property is to be released from requisition, the competent authority may, after such enquiry, if any, as it may in any case consider necessary to make or cause to be made, specify by an order in writing the person to whom possession of the property shall be given and such possession shall, as far as practicable, be given to the person from whom possession was taken at the time of the requisition or to the successor-in-interest of such person. (3) The delivery of possession of the requisitioned property to the person specified in the order made under sub-section (2) shall be a full discharge of the Government from all liabilities in respect of such property : Provided that nothing in this section shall prejudice any right in respect of the property which any other person may be entitled to by due process of law to enforce against the person to whom the possession of the property is so delivered. (4) Where the person to whom the possession of any requisitioned property is to be given cannot be found and has no legal agent or other person empowered to accept delivery on his behalf, the competent authority shall cause a notice, to be published in the Official Gazette, declaring that the property is released from requisition. (5) When a notice referred to in sub-section (4) is published in the Official Gazette, the property specified in such notice shall cease to be subject to requisition on and from the date of such publication and be deemed to have been delivered to the person entitled to possession thereof and the Government shall not be liable for any compensation or other claims in respect of the property for any period after the said date.

(1) Where any property is subject to requisition, the competent authority may, if it is of opinion that it is necessary to acquire the property requisitioned for any of the purposes referred to in section 3, at any time acquire such property by publishing in the Official Gazette a notice to the effect that the Government has decided to acquire the property in pursuance of this section: Provided that before issuing such notice, the competent authority shall call upon the owner of, or any person who, in the opinion of the competent authority, may be interested in, such property to show cause as to why the property should not be acquired; and after considering the cause, if any, shown by such person, the competent authority may pass such orders as it deems fit. (2) Where a notice referred to in sub-section (1) is published in the Official Gazette, the requisitioned property shall, on and from the beginning of the day on which the notice is so published, vest absolutely in the Government free from all encumbrances and the period of requisition of such property shall end.

The amount payable in respect of the acquisition of any moveable property shall be the controlled price of the property, that is to say, the price fixed by an order under any law for the time being in force: Provided that, in respect of the property the price of which is not controlled or which is not new, the amount shall not exceed the price which would have been paid for its replacement on the date of the acquisition, reduced by a sum equal to the depreciation of the property, calculated in the manner and at a rate not exceeding thirty per cent per annum as may be prescribed. Explanation.—In arriving at the price which would have been paid for the replacement of the property, no account shall be taken of any appreciation in the value thereof, after the date of requisition: Provided further that the owner of the property or any other person interested shall have the right to appeal to the Commissioner within a period of thirty days of the receipt of the order of competent authority determining the amount payable in respect of acquisition of the property, or within such further period as the Commissioner may, for sufficient cause, allow, in such form and manner as may be prescribed: Provided further that where an agreement has been reached between the competent authority and the owner of the property or any other person interested therein, the amount agreed to shall, irrespective of its quantum, be payable, unless it is revised by the Government after giving to the owner of the property or any other person interested therein a reasonable opportunity of being heard.

The amount determined by the competent authority for requisitioning or acquiring property shall be paid to the person or persons entitled thereto within such period, at such intervals and in such manner, as may be prescribed: Provided that, in respect of the property the price of which is not controlled or which is not new, the amount shall not exceed the price which would have been paid for its replacement on the date of the acquisition, reduced by a sum equal to the depreciation of the property, calculated in the manner and at a rate not exceeding thirty per cent per annum as may be prescribed. Explanation.—In arriving at the price which would have been paid for the replacement of the property, no account shall be taken of any appreciation in the value thereof, after the date of requisition: Provided further that the owner of the property or any other person interested shall have the right to appeal to the Commissioner within a period of thirty days of the receipt of the order of competent authority determining the amount payable in respect of acquisition of the property, or within such further period as the Commissioner may, for sufficient cause, allow, in such form and manner as may be prescribed: Provided further that where an agreement has been reached between the competent authority and the owner of the property or any other person interested therein, the amount agreed to shall, irrespective of its quantum, be payable, unless it is revised by the Government after giving to the owner of the property or any other person interested therein a reasonable opportunity of being heard. Provided that where the payment of the amount is delayed beyond the period so prescribed, interest shall be payable on the amount or part of the amount in arrear at such rate not being below three per cent or above six per cent per annum and with effect from such date or dates as may be prescribed.

The Government or the competent authority may, with a view to carrying out the purposes of this Act, by order— (a) require any person to furnish such officer, as may be specified in the order, such information in his possession as may be specified therein relating to any property, which is requisitioned or acquired, or intended to be requisitioned or acquired, under this Act; (b) direct that the owner or person in possession of the property shall not without permission dispose it of till the expiry of such period as may be specified in the order.

The Government or the competent authority may take or cause to be taken such steps and use or cause to be used such force as may, in the opinion of the Government or the competent authority, be reasonably necessary for securing compliance with any order made by it under this Act.

(1) Any person aggrieved by an order made by the competent authority under section 3, or section 4, or section 5, may, within a period of thirty days from the date of service of the order, prefer an appeal to the Government: Provided that the Government may entertain the appeal after the expiry of the said period of thirty days, if it is satisfied that the appellant was prevented by sufficient cause from filing the appeal in time. (2) On receipt of an appeal under sub-section (1), the Government may, after calling for a report from the competent authority and giving an opportunity to the parties of being heard and after making such further enquiry, if any, as may be necessary, pass such orders, as it thinks fit and the order of the Government shall be final.

The competent authority while holding an enquiry, shall have all the powers of a civil court while trying a suit under the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908 (Central Act 5 of 1908), in respect of the following matters, namely:— (a) summoning and enforcing the attendance of any person and examining him on oath; (b) requiring the discovery and production of any document; (c) reception of evidence on affidavits; (d) requisitioning any public record from any court or office; (e) issuing commissions for examination of witnesses.

The Government may, by notification, direct that the powers exercisable by it under this Act (except the power to make rules) shall, in such circumstances and under such conditions, if any, as may be specified in the notification, be exercisable also by an officer as may be so specified.

(1) No suit, prosecution or other legal proceedings shall lie against any person for anything done or intended to be done in pursuance of this Act or any rule or order made thereunder. (2) No suit or other legal proceedings shall lie against the Government or the competent authority for any damage caused or likely to be caused by anything which is in good faith done or intended to be done in pursuance of this Act or any rule or order made thereunder.

No civil court shall have jurisdiction in respect of any matter which the Government or the competent authority is empowered by or under this Act to determine, and no injunction shall be granted by any court or other authority in respect of any action taken or to be taken in pursuance of any power conferred by or under this Act.

(1) The Government may, by notification, make rules for carrying out the purposes of this Act. (2) Every rule made under this section shall be laid, as soon as may be after it is made, before the House of the State Legislature while it is in session for a total period of ten days which may be comprised in one session or in two or more successive sessions, and if, before the expiry of the session in which it is so laid or the successive sessions aforesaid, the House agrees in making any modification in the rule or the House agrees that the rule should not be made, the rule shall thereafter have effect only in such modified form or be of no effect, as the case may be; so however, that any such modification or annulment shall be without prejudice to the validity of anything previously done or omitted to be done under that rule.

The East Punjab Moveable Property (Requisitioning) Act, 1947 (East Punjab Act 15 of 1947) is hereby repealed.