Adverse possession ek controversial concept hai. Agar koi person open, continuous, hostile possession me bahut lambe samay tak rahe, aur real owner kuch nahi kare, to law ek stage ke baad kabza karne wale ko hi owner mana sakta hai.
Condition strict hoti hain:
- Possession visible and notorious ho – chhupke nahi, sabke saamne,
- Owner ke interest ke against ho – tenant ya licensee jaisa nahi,
- Required limitation period tak uninterrupted ho.
Is idea ke peeche reasoning hai ki law unko reward karta hai jo land actually use karte hain, aur unko punish jo decades tak apna right enforce nahi karte. Lekin misuse bhi hota hai – encroachers, land mafia etc.
Recent debates is doctrine ko soften/abolish karne ke bare me bhi chalti rehti hain. Abhi ke liye simple lesson: owners ko apni property par nazar rakhni chahiye; “kabhi jaa ke dekh lenge” approach risky hai.
