Aizawl, Feb 19 (PTI) The Mizoram assembly on Thursday passed a bill, seeking to strengthen the legal framework to curb unauthorised occupation of government and community land.
The Mizoram (Prevention of Public Land Encroachment) Bill, 2026, introduced by Land Revenue and Settlement Minister B Lalchhanzova, aims to replace the existing Mizoram Prevention of Government Land Encroachment Act, 2001, which the government said had limitations in scope and enforcement.
Lalchhanzova told the House that the 2001 Act had a narrow definition of “government land”, leaving village council lands, community playgrounds and grazing areas vulnerable to encroachment without clear statutory protection.
“The encroachment of such land does not just result in a loss of assets, but also sows seeds of conflict and disturbs planned development,” he said.
The minister said the earlier law lacked procedural safeguards such as timelines for eviction, structured inquiry processes and provision for appeal.
Penalties were not graded in proportion to the scale of encroachment, and there was no mechanism to address repeat offences or abetment, he said.
The new Bill provides comprehensive definitions of public land, procedural clarity, graded penalties and a structured adjudicatory mechanism, he added.
Once enacted, the law will prohibit unauthorised occupation, possession, construction or use of public land for private gains, Lalchhanzova said. PTI CORR RBT
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