No penalty if you pay tax by Dec 31: SDMC to unauthorised colony residents

The scheme will include property owners who have not submitted tax returns from April 1, 2004, or not submitted returns on a regular basis

The South Delhi Municipal Corporation on Monday approved an amnesty scheme to provide substantial relief in property tax to residents in unauthorised colonies.

Under the scheme, the property-owners in unauthorised colonies will become entitled to 100 per cent remission of the amount relating to interest and penalty, on making the payment by December 31 of the amount of property tax due on November 13, the civic body said in a statement.

The scheme will include the owners who have not submitted tax return from April 1, 2004, or not submitted return on a regular basis or the owners whose assessment has not been done from 2004 and ahead, Chairman of the SDMC Standing Committee Bhupender Gupta was quoted as saying in the statement.

"All residential properties in unauthorised colonies where the matter is pending before MTT (Municipal Tax Tribunal) or other courts will also get benefit under the scheme," the statement said.

Leader of the House in SDMC, Sikha Rai, said it becomes difficult to find out the ownership of properties in unauthorised colonies due to lack of proper sale deed or there being incomplete documentation.

"In such cases, the department will accept self-affidavit regarding ownership. The problem will be solved very soon with the completion of the ongoing door-to-door survey of the properties, which includes unauthorised colonies," she said.