President Gives Assent To Punjab, Telangana Bills

A Punjab bill which aims at giving property rights to more than 11,200 tenants occupying over 4,000 acres of land after paying due compensation has received presidential assent, officials said Thursday. President Droupadi Murmu also gave her assent to a Telangana bill which allows imposition of fine on people standing surety for securing bail in cases of grave offences if he or she fails to produce the accused on the date fixed by the court. The Punjab Bhondedar, Butemar, Dohlidar, Insar Miadi, Mukarraridar, Mundhimar, Panahi Qadeem, Saunjidar, or Taraddadkar (Vesting of Proprietary
Rights) Bill, 2020 was passed by the Punjab assembly when the Congress government was in power in 2020, an official said.

The legislation was later approved by the Aam Aadmi Party government. The move allows property rights to more than 11,200 tenants occupying over 4,000 acres land after paying due compensation. It is expected that the legislation will empower tillers of such land, who belong mostly to the economically and socially weaker sections of the society, another official said.These tenants have been in occupation of small parcels of land for many years and inherit their rights by succession from generation to generation. However, since they were not registered owners, they neither have access to financial institutions for loans nor get relief for any natural disaster.

Now, they will get all benefits like other land owners. The Code of Criminal Procedure (Telangana Amendment) Bill, 2020 was introduced by the K Chandrashekhar Rao government. The amendment was introduced after a state-level judicial officers conference in 2016 suggested it.The legislation allows imposition of fine on people standing surety for securing bail in cases of grave offences if he or she fails to produce the accused on the date fixed by the court, the official said.