VIJAYAWADA: Taxpayers’ Association has approached the High Court challenging the amendments made to the Municipal Act for collecting property tax based on the capital value.In a meeting held on Thursday, representatives of the Urban Citizens’ Forum termed the amendments to the Act against the Constitution and said that a writ petition was filed in High Court on September 14.
Addressing mediapersons here on Thursday, association secretary MV Anjaneyulu said that renowned advocate and State bar council members S Rajendra Prasad along with M Srinivas are dealing with the case. In the petition, the association stated that the committees comprising concerned officials do not have the power to review the financial affairs of municipalities and recommend policy changes, and are constitutionally vested only with the State Finance Commission.
The value of capital becomes real only when it is sold, the property is lost if it is sold, and that it is against the principle of taxation to tax the value of the property that has gone away.The petition said that while there were 2,17,141 property tax assessments and 13,229 vacant land tax assessments in the city, only 3,085 objections were received. The petition also stated that the authorities had failed to put before the VMC the objections raised by several people, thereby misleading the council. The TPA termed these amendments unconstitutional and undemocratic and urged the court to quash them.