Top officials, politicians on property tax defaulters' list

Officers say they have no dues; Palike chief promises to check list veracity

Property tax defaulters beware. The Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has drawn up a list of those who are yet to pay their taxes.

According to Palike Commissioner Siddaiah, as many as 3.25 lakh defaulters, who together owe the civic body a total of Rs 786 crore, have been identified.

Apart from ordinary citizens, the names of several prominent people also figure in the list. From bureaucrats to politicians and businessmen to film actors, the Palike list for 2008-2012 has it all.
Some of the bureaucrats include Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited Managing Director N Sivasailam, Additional Chief Secretary Kaushik Mukherjee and BBMP former commissioner Rajneesh Goel.

As per the BBMP records of Demand, Collection Balance (DCB) Book from 2008-2012, Sivasailam has not paid his taxes for the year 2008-09 and 2009-10. While the total demand for the period has been recorded as Rs 58,930, the BBMP states that he has paid only Rs 35,358 with arrears of Rs 23,572.

‘Wrong info’

When contacted, Sivasailam said, “The information provided by the BBMP is wrong. The period for which tax arrears is claimed — from 2007 to 2012 — has been paid.

The tax receipts will be made available to the BBMP for all the years from 2005 when the house was constructed, if called upon to do so. The Palike may update their records by reference to the parties concerned during the collection of taxes for 2013-14, since the next year’s tax is due in less than 30 days’ time.”

Goel, who is shown as having arrears of Rs 57,143 (by not paying taxes for 2008-09 and 2009-10), told Deccan Herald that he had paid all his taxes and there certainly was an error in the BBMP records.

“Almost all bureaucrats paid the property tax for all the years during the period of Bharat Lal Meena, who organised a special tax mela. The prime reason for the discrepancy, in my understanding, is that the Property Unique Identification Number may not be matching with the DCB Book,” he said.

With regard to Kaushik Mukherjee, the BBMP has claimed that the Additional Chief Secretary has Rs 18,552 in arrears, with Rs 16,368 already collected.

Mukherjee told this paper, “I have paid all my taxes and the receipts are there for verification. In fact, I regularly pay taxes to get a rebate of 10 per cent. If this can happen to me, imagine the common man.”

IPS officers

The list continues with scores of other bureaucrats, including IPS officers.
Among prominent politicians, former chief minister B S Yeddyurappa is shown as having arrears of Rs 988 on one of his properties and Rs 55,810 on one of the Dhavalagiri Properties.

Minister Govind Karjol owes the Palike Rs 23,475 and jailed mining baron G Janardhana Reddy Rs 20,290.

Reactions from bureaucrats appear to also question the veracity of the draft list. Siddaiah said the Palike would look into the discrepancies, if any. “We will check the veracity of the tax defaulters’ list,” he said.