What is Uttar Pradesh's Nazul Property Bill and why BJP lawmakers are opposing it

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Lucknow:A bill introduced by the Uttar Pradesh government that disallows freeholding any plot of nazul land and whose implementation automatically scraps all pending applications seeking freehold, has sparked a controversy with even two BJP MLAs joining chorus with the opposition...

The opposition alleges that the bill, which seeks to replace the UP Nazul Properties (Management and Utilisation For Public Purpose) Ordinance introduced in March, will have wide ramifications and lead to thousands of people losing shelter...

Nazul property, according to the bill, is any piece of land, building, or any land with building which is a government property according to the public records, and all those properties, land and buildings which are vested with the state government according to Article 296 of the Constitution.. Further, nazul land also includes all those plots in which a grant was issued under the Government Grant Act, 1895, or by an executive official of the British government, or any such land which is not private land and in connection with which, lease deeds, license or occupancy rights have been given as declared via notification...

Another criticism is the provision that all current lease deed holders will have to present before the district magistrate (DM) details of the land and building and the usage of this land within three months.. Further, there will be periodic surveys of all lease deeds and wherever the deed holder is not using the deed according to its conditions or such land is being used in violation of the conditions, the government on recommendation of the DM, can either reduce the deed duration, or the area of the plot, or both or terminate the deed...

But in 1998, the party, in a bid to help a big family associated with Delhi, which constructed a building on nazul land in Prayagraj, tweaked that policy and decided to give freehold rights to tenants as well, he said.. Singh further said that the poor staying in Sagar Pesha had approached court when they were denied freehold rights...