Allahabad civic body slaps Rs 4.35 cr house tax notice on Anand Bhavan

A notice for the non-payment of house tax amounting to Rs 4.35 crore has been slapped on Anand Bhavan -- the ancestral house of India's first prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru--by the Allahabad Municipal Corporation.

Confirming it, Mayor Abhilasha Gupta 'Nandi' on Wednesday told PTI that the notice was sent a week ago as officials at Anand Bhavan could not provide any document proving that it was a charitable building.

"A notice for house tax amounting to Rs 4.35 crore has been served on Anand Bhavan. The reason is the non-payment of taxes on the ground that the building is registered as a charitable structure. But, when officials at Anand Bhavan were asked to substantiate their claims with relevant documents, they were unable to do so," she said.

The mayor said the officials had also claimed that the building was handed over (to the government) as a heritage of the nation.

"However, the papers supporting their claims are not with them, and are not given to us," the mayor said.

She added that the Anand Bhavan officials were seeking discount/concession, but on what basis it should be given, they were unable to justify.

"They are saying that their building is not commercial, but when the birth anniversary of former PM Indira Gandhi is celebrated, a ticket worth Rs 50 is purchased by a visitor. You also charge tickets for the museum," she said, adding that if the building was handed over to the government as a heritage structure, then it should have control over it.

The mayor further said, "They used to give a tax of Rs 600 till 1990. After 1990, they have not given any tax."