a day ago
BNP demands withdrawal of BBMP's unjust property tax notices
The Bengaluru NavaNirmana Party (BNP) has criticised the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) for issuing property tax notices to thousands of citizens and the glitch-caught e-Nyaya portal.
The BNP has called the move to send property tax notices 'arbitrary' and 'legally flawed', pointing out that it contradicts the Supreme Court rulings and statutory provisions under the Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act, 2016, (RERA).
The BNP leaders argued that the BBMP is wrongly attempting to tax stilt and open parking areas as standalone units, even though these spaces are considered part of common areas.
Citing the Supreme Court's ruling in Nahalchand Laloochand Pvt. Ltd. vs. Panchali Cooperative Housing Society, the BNP highlighted that parking areas cannot be sold or taxed separately, as they are part of the building's shared amenities and included in the super built-up area.
'Most sale deeds grant only the exclusive right to use a parking spot; they do not confer ownership. Residents already pay tax on the super built-up area, which includes these common spaces,' said Srikanth Narasimhan, BNP founder.
The BNP also pointed out that many apartment owners have been served retrospective tax notices, placing financial burdens on them. Adding to the frustration, the BBMP's e-Nyaya portal, meant for citizens to respond to notices, has been non-functional. Additionally, some AROs are reportedly refusing to accept responses by hand, leaving citizens without a way to appeal.
'In Bengaluru, the process has become the punishment,' said H.L.N. Prasad, BNP leader for E-khata. 'This fiasco reflects the chronic mismanagement in BBMP's revenue systems. Instead of fixing its internal processes, the BBMP is shifting the burden to law-abiding citizens,' he said.
