Pandemonium in NDMC meeting over property tax rate hike

The house meeting of North Delhi Municipal Corporation today witnessed uproarious scenes with the opposition Congress members walking out demanding a roll back in the hike in property tax rates on non-residential properties.

Earlier, leader of the opposition Mukesh Goel put forth a proposal before the House to implement tax rates of 2012-13 in calculation of tax for all non-residential properties in the area under its jurisdiction.

When Mayor Azad Singh decided to refer the matter to the Commissioner's office, the opposition demanded that the House take a decision.

"The government readily reduced the hiked tax rates for industries. But it is not doing the same for small shopkeepers who suddenly have seen their taxes go up from 12 per cent to 20 per cent," Goel said.
 

When the House did not vote on the proposal, Congress members walked out to register their protest against the decision.