MADURAI: The Madurai Bench of Madras High Court on Wednesday directed the Madurai collector and corporation commissioner to coordinate with each other and submit an 'action plan' on the steps to be taken to verify the property tax assessments of all immovable properties in Madurai city.
A bench of justices S M Subramaniam and G Arul Murugan gave the direction on a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) petition filed by an AIADMK councillor of the 83rd Ward of the civic body, T Ravi. The PIL sought CBI investigation into the alleged Rs 200-crore scam in which bribes are said to have been taken to lower the valuation of properties.
In the previous hearing on Tuesday, the bench had directed the Madurai Corporation Commissioner to form special teams to verify the accuracy of property tax assessments made in respect of all immovable properties in Madurai city limits.
When the case was heard again on Wednesday, a report was submitted by the corporation commissioner stating that a committee has been formed under the supervision of the deputy commissioner of Madurai Corporation. The committee includes a revenue officer (in charge), assistant revenue officers of the five zones, two assistant programmers, a revenue assistant (in charge), junior engineer and an assistant executive engineer.
There are nearly 3,49,741 property assesments in the Madurai city. The corporation is also conducting periodical review meetings to find out if any property missed assessment and levying tax on them, the report further said. The above team would inspect properties and verify if there was any undervaluation of property taxes. If any irregularities are found, appropriate action will be taken by the civic body, the commissioner stated in the report.
Recording this, the judges directed the district collector to coordinate with the commissioner and if required, depute deputy tahsildars for each zones to assist the committee in the reassessment drive. The collector and corporation commissioner, after an effective consultation, should work out a modality and submit an 'action plan' before the court to enable it to ensure that the exercise is being carried out in a fruitful manner, the judges added.
Meanwhile, the special investigation team of the police department can carry out their investigation independently, they further said. The case was adjourned to August 26.