Singapore legislation
Clause 8
Clause 8
Taking possession of land
(1)
A competent authority may, if it appears to that authority to be necessary or expedient for the defence of the country or for the maintenance of supplies and services essential to the life of the community, take or authorise in writing the taking of possession of any land and may give such directions as appear to be necessary for the taking and maintaining possession of such land and for the eviction of any person who is, enters or remains on such land without the consent of the competent authority.
(2)
Without prejudice to the generality of subsection (1), any direction given under subsection (1) may authorise any authorised officer to break open, enter forcibly and remain on any land the taking possession of which has been authorised by the competent authority and to evict forcibly from such land any persons that the competent authority may specify or any persons other than such persons as the competent authority may specify.
(3)
Whether or not any specified direction has been given under subsection (2), an authorised officer may take such steps and use such force as appears to him to be reasonably necessary for securing compliance with any direction given under subsection (1).
(4)
While any land is in the possession of a competent authority by virtue of this section, the land may, notwithstanding any restriction imposed on the use thereof (whether by any other written law or other instrument or otherwise), be used by, or under the authority of, the competent authority for the defence of the country or for the maintenance of supplies and services essential to the life of the community, and the competent authority, so far as appears to it to be necessary or expedient in connection with the taking of possession or use of the land in pursuance of this subsection, may —
do, or authorise persons using the land as aforesaid to do, in relation to the land, anything which any person having an interest in the land would be entitled to do by virtue of that interest; and
by order provide for prohibiting or restricting the exercise of rights of way over the land, and of other rights relating thereto which are enjoyed by any person, whether by virtue of an interest in land or otherwise.
(5)
The owner or occupier of any land shall, if requested by or on behalf of a competent authority so to do, furnish to such authority or person as may be specified in the request such information in his possession relating to the land (being information which may reasonably be demanded of him in connection with the execution of this section) as may be so specified.
(6)
A competent authority may, to such extent and subject to such restriction as it thinks proper, delegate all or any of its functions under this section to any specified person or class of persons.
(7)
A competent authority shall not take possession of land pursuant to this section for any period exceeding the period during which this section is in operation.