Punjab Enforcement of Womens Property Rights Act, 2021

From: 2021-05-17 - To: 0000-00-00 An Act to protect and secure the rights of ownership of women in the property. It is expedient to provide for protection of rights of ownership and possession of properties owned by women, ensuring that such rights are not violated by means of harassment, coercion, force or fraud. Be it enacted by Provincial Assembly of the Punjab as follows: 1. Short title, extent and commencement.‎–‎ (1) This Act may be cited as the Punjab Enforcement of Womens Property Rights Act 2021. (2) It extends to whole of the Punjab. (3) It shall come into force at once. 2. Definitions.‎–‎ In this Act: (a) “complainant” means a woman who files a complaint or for whom proceedings are initiated in respect of the title or possession of her property; (b) “Government” means Government of the Punjab; (c) “Ombudsperson” means the Ombudsperson appointed under section 7 of the Protection against Harassment of Women at the Workplace Act, 2010 (IV of 2010); (d) “prescribed” means prescribed by the rules; (e) “property” includes any moveable and immoveable property; and (f) “rules” means the rules made under this Act. 3. Powers of the Ombudsperson.‎–‎ In addition to the powers, functions and authority under this Act and the rules, the Ombudsperson, for the purpose of this Act, shall have the same powers, functions and authority as are vested in the Ombudsperson under the Protection against Harassment of Women at the Workplace Act, 2010 (IV of 2010). 4. Complaint to the Ombudsperson in case no proceedings in a court of law are pending.‎–‎ (1) Any woman deprived of ownership or possession of her property, by any means, may file a complaint to the Ombudsperson if no proceedings in a court of law are pending regarding that property: Provided that the Ombudsperson, on its own motion or on a complaint filed by any person including a non-governmental organization, may also initiate action under subsection (1) in relation to the ownership or possession of a womans property, if no proceedings are pending in a court in respect of that property. (2) The Ombudsperson shall make preliminary assessment of the complaint filed under subsection (1) whereafter he may, if the…