Forum to move HC over property tax hike

Citizens’ Action Forum (CAF), a consortium of nearly 150 Residents' Welfare Association (RWAs), has decided to approach High Court against the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike's (BBMP) decision to hike property tax.

The Palike had claimed that it has effected a mere 20% hike in tax for the residential properties. But for about 95% property owners, the tax has gone up by 50 to 70% as many areas have seen at least two-scale jump in the BBMP taxation zoning system.
D S Rajashekar, president of CAF, told Deccan Herald that the forum has collected the data to present a strong case before the court.

“The BBMP is citing the Karnataka Municipal Corporations (KMC) Act to hike the property tax which mandates revision of taxes once in every three years. Why the taxes were not revised since 2007 when the Unit Area Value (UAV) was introduced under the Self Assessment Scheme (SAS),” questioned Rajshekar.

“The BBMP does not even have the data about the exact number of properties in Bengaluru. This (hike) has been done intentionally to spare the big defaulters.”
Rajshekar claimed that the BBMP does not even possess the list of defaulters. “Half the problem would have solved, had the BBMP focused on defaulters, revenue leakage and embezzlement,” he added.

The office-bearers of Sobha Ruby Apartments Association at Nagasandra expressed their displeasure over what they called an exorbitant hike in property tax.

Using the BBMP portal when they calculated their taxes, they found the hike was almost 75% from what they had paid last year.

Vice president of the association Subhash Shetty said, “Last year I had paid Rs 3,544 as property tax. This year, I will have to cough up Rs 6,078, which is an increase of 73%. There are a few others who have to pay more. This is nothing but a daylight robbery.”
He said he would prefer not paying the tax unless the BBMP reconsider its decision.

On this issue, he held a discussion with other apartment dwellers, and they have decided to present their case before the BBMP Commissioner and other senior official.

The JD(S), an ally of Congress in the BBMP, has threatened to stage a protest against the hike.