NRIs Can Be Banned From Owning Houses In India: Find Out Why Madras HC Wants This To Happen

As per the reports, to ensure housing for all, the Madras High Court has proposed a ban on non-resident Indians from purchasing houses in India, prohibit the speculative sale, and impose 100 percent extra stamp duty on the purchase of the second house.

How Did This Happen?

Also, the court on its own impleaded the Union housing and finance ministries as party respondents.

With this, it has directed them to answer a series of questions including as to how many families have the basic amenity of housing in India as well as in Tamil Nadu, population and housing ratio in the country and in the state, when ‘Housing for All’ mission of the central government would be achieved.

What Are The Questions Raised In This Proposal?

“Why the government does not consider imposing such restrictions to control the escalation of house prices and to provide a house to every family in the country,” said a division bench of Justice N Kirubakaran and Justice Abdul Quddhose.

They also directed the authorities to inform as to whether the central and state have got special schemes to provide housing for the marginalized and economically weaker sections including SC/ST communities, the bench has also sought the details of the number of families that possess more than one house.

They also questioned “Why the governments do not restrict families/individuals from purchasing/possessing more than one housing unit/flat/plot till “Housing for all” is achieved?

They also asked, “Why not the government charge 100 percent more or extra stamp duty to discourage buying more than one house by a family while purchasing the second house?”.

The bench added, “Why not the government conditionally allow the families to purchase more than one house provided the said family pays 100 percent extra-statutory dues like property tax, electricity charges, water and sewerage charges on the second property?”.

Apart from this, the court also wanted the authorities to know as to why it should not prohibit the NRIs from purchasing houses in India to bring down the cost of housing.

Why Would This Happen?

While justifying its directions, the court said “Lakhs and lakhs of people are living on platforms, roads, and cement pipes, slums, under the trees and on banks of water bodies without proper shelter and basic amenities and safety.”

Also, it is true that the Centre had made a policy decision to provide housing units to every family.

The court said that it should be achieved at the earliest, adding it could become fruitful when restrictions are put on persons who hold more than one housing unit.

Also, the court passed the order while hearing an appeal moved by the Tamil Nadu Housing Board challenging a single judge order against the acquisition of about 369 acres of private land in Thudiyalur and Vellakinar areas of Coimbatore for a housing scheme.