The Naval and Aircraft Prize Act, 1971
The Naval and Aircraft Prize Act, 1971
The Naval and Aircraft Prize Act, 1971, establishes legal procedures for handling "prizes," which are ships, aircraft, or goods captured by India's Armed Forces during war or conflict. It regulates how these captures are processed through specialized Prize Courts, ensuring that enemy property is legally condemned or released according to international and national law. This Act applies to the military, Indian citizens whose property is recaptured from enemies, and foreign states. It matters because it ensures the Central Government, not individual captors, legally owns all captured assets, providing a structured, modern Indian legal system to replace outdated colonial-era laws.
- 1. Short title.
- 2. Definitions.
- 3. Establishment of Prize Courts.
- 4. Jurisdiction of Prize Courts in prize cases.
- 5. Transfer of cases.
- 6. Appeals.
- 7. General powers of Prize Courts.
- 8. Procedure on capture of prize.
- 9. Ship and aircraft papers to be brought in Registry.
- 10. Goods.
- 11. Preemption.
- 12. Prize proceedings not to apply to enemy warships and military aircraft.
- 13. Capture to belong to Central Government.
- 14. Prize salvage.
- 15. Offences in respect of prize.
- 16. Indemnity against legal proceedings.
- 17. Power to make rules.
- 18. Dissolution of Prize Courts.
- 19. Repeals.
- 20. Savings.
PDF: pending for this language.