Congress trumps BJP in paying property tax dues

Sandeep Rana

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, February 24

Even as the local Municipal Corporation is issuing property tax notices to residents, the ruling BJP has failed to pay its tax dues while the Congress has cleared its outstanding property tax.

Both national parties were served final notices to clear their property tax dues.

According to MC officials, local Congress paid Rs 2.78 lakh a few days ago as four-year property tax dues pertaining to its office in Sector 35. While the Sector 33-based Chandigarh BJP office, which was served a Rs 7.11 lakh tax notice, is yet to make a move.

A notice of Rs 16.12 lakh was served separately to the BJP Punjab office in Sector 37, but it too did not bother to clear the dues. Punjab Congress office in Sector 15 was earlier asked to clear the pending payment of Rs 11.34 lakh. MC officials said they have paid some amount. 

The BJP has been served the final notice for March 15, following which the process to seal the property will start.

MC Additional Commissioner Anil Kumar Garg said they had served the final notice to the party and in case of default, further action would be taken against it.

Chandigarh Congress president Pradeep Chhabra said, “We have paid the pending tax. Our ex-MP Pawan Kumar Bansal had released money from the party fund for the purpose. Though I think we must have paid the bills for certain years, we did not have receipts.”

Chandigarh BJP general secretary Chander Shekher said, “The party’s city unit president and we have been busy with several events. We are yet to discuss the property tax dues issue.”

The political parties were first served notices among other 2,100 government and commercial tax defaulters on October 12. 

Interestingly, it was the MC councillors of the two national parties, who had during a General House meeting criticised the corporation officials for failing to recover tax pertaining to various properties in the city. Later, the MC had compiled a list of all defaulters since 2004-05 and served notices on them.