Central

Section 1 of The Public Premises (Eviction of Unauthorised Occupants) Act, 1971

(1)This Act may be called the Public Premises (Eviction of Unauthorised Occupants) Act, 1971.
(2)It extends to the whole of India.
(3)It shall be deemed to have come into force on the 16th day of September, 1958 except sections 11, 19 and 20 which shall come into force at once.

Summary

The law is called the Public Premises (Eviction of Unauthorised Occupants) Act, 1971.
It applies to the entire country of India.
Most of the rules in this law are treated as if they started on September 16, 1958.
Three specific parts, which are Section 11 (Offences and penalty), Section 19 (Repeal), and Section 20 (Validation), start immediately upon the law taking effect rather than being backdated to 1958.

Practical examples

1Anjali buys a property in Mumbai in 2025 and wants to know if this federal law applies there. Since the law extends to the whole of India, it applies to public premises in Mumbai just as it does in Delhi.

2Rahul is taken to court for a penalty regarding unauthorised occupation of a government building. He argues the penalty rule applies retroactively to his actions from 1965. The judge clarifies that the penalty section (Section 11) started at once upon enactment, not retroactively to 1958 like the rest of the Act.

FAQ

1. Where does this law apply?

It extends to the whole of India.

2. When did this law officially start?

It is deemed to have come into force on September 16, 1958, with a few exceptions.

3. Do the penalty rules apply back to 1958 too?

No, Section 11 regarding offences and penalties comes into force at once upon enactment, not retroactively.

Test yourself

Q1.Under Section 1 of The Public Premises (Eviction of Unauthorised Occupants) Act, 1971, what is the geographical reach of this law?

Q2.Under Section 1 of The Public Premises (Eviction of Unauthorised Occupants) Act, 1971, what date is the law generally deemed to have come into force?

Q3.Under Section 1 of The Public Premises (Eviction of Unauthorised Occupants) Act, 1971, which sections are exceptions to the 1958 start date?

Q4.Under Section 1 of The Public Premises (Eviction of Unauthorised Occupants) Act, 1971, how does Section 1 treat Section 11 differently from the general start date?

Q5.Under Section 1 of The Public Premises (Eviction of Unauthorised Occupants) Act, 1971, what is the short title of the Act?

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