BENGALURU: In a major victory to the BBMP, the civic body has won a legal battle against Manyata Tech Park over property tax.
The high court on Thursday directed Manyata promoters not to evade property tax and pay the arrears to the BBMP along with the interest. The BBMP will get a revenue of Rs 110 crore along with interest at the rate of RS 2 per month on the dues to be payable.
BBMP Taxation and Finance Committee Chairman M. Shivaraju told Deccan Chronicle that the BBMP had named and shamed the Manyata promoters by displaying a huge hoarding for defaulting property tax.
Manyata promoters said that they cannot pay property tax at the rate of Rs 10 per sq. ft. and expressed willingness to pay at the rate of Rs 8 per sq. ft. However, BBMP did not budge and demanded their due, Shivaraju said.
When the Manyata promoters took the issue to the court, the BBMP engaged a senior advocate Ashok Harnahalli and fought the case. The BBMP revenue authorities too supported the advocate by furnishing required documents.
“The court order will be precedent to make defaulters cough up tax to the BBMP. The order has strengthened the BBMP’s revenue wing. After getting a copy of the order, the BBMP will hold a meet and prepare a list of defaulters who have approached court or not paying the tax on the basis of approaching the court. The BBMP will vigorously collect the tax from all the defaulters,” Shivaraju added.
