Don't add to confusion, Mumbai civic body tells corporators

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Monday has clarified that they will not cancel the issuing of property tax bills with retrospective effect. Corporators from different political parties have been demanding that the new bills, issued as per the new capital value-based assessment system, be issued only from the current financial year and not the last two years. The BMC is not the competent authority to make such a decision, said Rajeev Jalota, additional municipal commissioner.

“We cannot take any decision with regard to cancelling the new property tax system. Though there is a delay of two years in sending the bills, it is as per the Mumbai Municipal Corporation Act and we are just implementing it,” Jalota added.

Meanwhile, wary of the confusion among citizens and differing statements made by leaders over the property tax bills, the civic body has instructed all 227 corporators not to make any individual comment on this complex issue. “We request all the corporators not to comment on the new property tax system as it may lead to confusion,” said Jalota.

The BMC has admitted that citizens are confused with the new property tax system as there have been several errors in the bills. He added that the complaint disposal system, which will be set up in the next two days, will rectify such errors. “We will also publish an advertisement in several newspapers to clear all doubts about the new system,” said Jalota. So far, the BMC has collected Rs64 crore tax under the new system.

@DNA