BENGALURU: BJP MLAs on Monday submitted a petition to BBMP Chief Commissioner Tushar Girinath, criticising the Palike for “declaring war on the citizens of the city in the name of tax arrears”.
The MLAs alleged that the corporation was being insensitive by locking down commercial outlets, ruining their business and life, and termed it as an anti-people move.
Twelve MLAs have submitted a petition to Girinath demanding that the corporation should stop harassing citizens in the name of revised tax and arrears.
“A delegation of MLAs went to the BBMP headquarters and warned that the order imposing a penalty on outstanding taxes should be withdrawn immediately. Otherwise, fierce protests would be launched across the city,” Jayanagar MLA CK Ramamurthy said.
He further said buildings with defects in self-property tax declaration are being charged with a double penalty and interest, and illegal recovery of arrears of six years with a heavy penalty and interest will lead to many homes and business houses being locked and shut.
“Around 76,000 houses have been given notices on the pretext of tax revision. After issuing the notice, they locked several buildings and started harassing them for non-payment of property tax,” Ramamurthy added.
Terming the urban body’s move as anti-people, former minister and MLA Byrathi Basavaraj said, “Several citizens have approached the courts against the issuance of unilateral notice. In fact, under Section 144 sub (15) (b) of the BBMP Act, there is no power to levy penalty and interest on account of arrears of five years past in a self-declared tax regime.”