Intel to pay Rs 16.5 cr property tax in Bengaluru

Global chip maker Intel would pay Rs 16.5 crore by August 28, as directed by the Karnataka High Court, to the city's civic corporation towards property tax arrears, an official said on Monday.

"Intel India gave in writing that it would abide by the High Court order to pay 50 per cent of the Rs 34 crore it owes to us by August 28," Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) spokesman S.S. Khandre told IANS here.

Confirming the development, an Intel India spokesman said the company would comply with the court's interim order, which it obtained on challenging the BBMP notice but declined to elaborate, as the issue was sub-judice.

"Though Intel India paid property tax partly on its campus as per its estimates under the self-assessment scheme, we served a notice to it, conveying that as per our calculations, it has to pay Rs 34-crore property tax, including arrears for the land it acquired and had built its product development office," Khandre recalled.

BBMP and Intel India subsidiary, however, did not share details of the notice served, when the latter challenged it in the High Court and the interim order was given to pay 50 per cent of the tax plus arrears.

"Our Mahadevapura joint commissioner Muni Veerapppa went to Intel office earlier in the day to collect the amount as per the court order, which said it (amount) should be paid by, and not on, August 28," Khandre pointed out.

The corporation also threatened to dump truck loads of garbage in the company's campus, located in the city's eastern suburb on the outer ring road, if it did pay the amount by August 28, to expose it as a property tax defaulter.

--IANS

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