BHUBANESWAR: After the Orissa High Court restrained Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) from collecting the enhanced holding tax, the Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) on Monday demanded the civic body to return the additional amount to citizens.
Senior party leader Panchanan Kanungo told media persons here that the High Court has directed BMC to collect holding tax as per the old rate. Hence, the civic body should return the extra amount paid by the residents following the hike, he said.
Kanungo claimed BMC had collected Rs 22 crore online as per the enhanced rate.
“Now BMC should calculate the extra amount it had received and return it to the tax payers,” he said.
A division-bench of Orissa High Court had restrained BMC from collecting enhanced holding tax till the amendment of Orissa Municipal Corporation (OMC) Act, 2003.
The State government had also put the revised tax on hold after drawing flak from several quarters over the issue.