Gangtok, Dec. 16 -- India's property law contains a little-known provision that often catches both property owners and renters off guard: a tenant may, under specific legal circumstances, lay claim to ownership of a rented house, even in the absence of a registered sale deed.

This surprising possibility is rooted in the Limitation Act of 1963, a statute that establishes strict deadlines and criteria for resolving property ownership conflicts. When a rightful owner fails to exercise their rights and reclaim their property within a prescribed period, the law may intervene to recognize long-term, non-permissive occupation as the new legal title.

Understanding Adverse Possession

At its core, Adverse Possession is a legal mechanism that per...