Professor pays Rs 32,000 excess property tax, runs around to get refund

On May 5 last year, Prof S V Venkatesh from the Civil Engineering department of PES College and a resident of Jayanagar, paid property tax of Rs 16,066 for his 40X40 sqft site through net banking.
Prof S V Venkatesh
Prof S V Venkatesh

BENGALURU: On May 5 last year, Prof S V Venkatesh from the Civil Engineering department of PES College and a resident of Jayanagar, paid property tax of Rs 16,066 for his 40X40 sqft site through net banking. But the amount got debited thrice from his account.

“I had been to the ward office in Jayanagar. The problem wasn’t resolved, so I went to the head office. Now they have asked me to come again after 15 days,” he said. “My son is a pre-university student,” he said, adding that he had to leave early from college when he had to go to the BBMP office.

Venkatesh did not pay the tax this year since the money he has paid can be adjusted for this year as well as next. But he lost out on rebate as Thursday was the last day to avail it.

“I have paid an excess of Rs 32,132. I had given a letter to the assistant revenue officer in Chennammakere Achchukattu ward office in LIC Colony. I thought it will be resolved and did not follow it up for a year. But this year, when I checked, it did not show the adjustment,” he said.

“They said these things get sorted out in Mumbai. The biggest problem is the software. They have to set it right. One of the officials in the revenue wing asked me to pay the tax, the other one asked me not to pay. I decided not to pay,” Venkatesh said.

Many citizens are left writing emails to the merchant bank or the payment getaway asking them if they can credit the amount back. After contacting them in vain, they get back to the BBMP as it has already been credited to BBMP’s account. BBMP unfortunately does not reflect the excess amount paid by citizens in the receipts.

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