HC pulls up authorities for not revising property tax

The Madras High Court has pulled up authorities for not revising property tax every four years from 1998.
When a petition from K.Kulasekaran and K.Padhmanabhan challenging the property tax demand in respect of their shops in Koyambedu, made from 1996 up to 2015, came up, Justice N.Kirubakaran said:"It is disheartening to note that the trust and faith reposed by the voters in their Councillors have been frustrated by the conduct of the elected councillors."
"The successive ruling parties, which have been controlling the Chennai Corporation from 1996 onwards is to be squarely blamed for this lapse. Once the details regarding the loss caused to the local body is placed before this court, this court would pass appropriate orders regarding slapping of the said amount on appropriate persons," the judge said.

If the revision of property tax was carried out according to the rules, the revision would be 25 per cent in respect of residential buildings and 100 per cent in respect of commercial buildings, the court said.
However, the successive corporation councils had failed to make any revision in 2002, 2006, 2010 and 2014. Property tax revision has been made by all other local bodies in TN, except the city of Chennai, the court said.
Saying councilors and Mayors were responsible for the negligence, the court also said, "Instead of discharging their duties, in fact, it is evident that they fight over petty issues in the council meetings, which are in the public domain."

"It is being said that the so-called elected councilors promptly descend at construction sites for various reasons instead of doing their duties," it said.
Justice Kirubakaran directed the authorities to answer a set of six questions such as why property tax payable in respect of city properties has not been revised and if steps are properly taken to recover the existing property tax.
The case has been posted to November 30.