The Public Premises (Eviction of Unauthorised Occupants) Amendment Bill, 2019 was introduced in the Lok Sabha on Monday.
The aim of the Bill is to facilitate smooth and speedy eviction of occupants of government accommodation on expiry of their terms and conditions.
The Government provides residential accommodation to its employees, Members of Parliament and other dignitaries while they are in service or till the term of their office on licence basis. As per the existing allotment rules, after the expiry of the terms and conditions of the licence, the occupants of such residential accommodations become unauthorised for staying in such accommodation and should vacate the same.
However, it is often seen that the unauthorised occupants do not vacate the government accommodation on expiry of the terms and conditions of the licence as per the rules and uses dilatory tactics to withhold the accommodation.
In order to check this delay, it is proposed to insert a new sub-section (3A) in section 7 of the Act to the effect that if the person challenges the eviction order passed by the estate officer in any court, he has to pay the damages for every month for the residential accommodation held by him.
Under the existing provisions, the eviction proceedings of unauthorised occupants from “public premises” take around five to seven weeks’ time.
It may take around four more weeks if the unauthorised occupants file appeal under the said Act. However, eviction proceedings take much longer period than the timeline prescribed in the said Act. Sometimes, it takes years to evict the unauthorised occupants.
It may be recalled that the Public Premises (Eviction of Unauthorised Occupants) Amendment Bill, 2017 was introduced and pending consideration and passing in the Lok Sabha lapsed on dissolution of the 16th Lok Sabha.