MLA Dhaliwal criticises unannounced 10% property tax hike as anti-people

Congress MLA Balwinder Singh Dhaliwal has strongly condemned the Phagwara Municipal Corporation (MC) for what he described as a “silent and anti-people” decision—an unannounced 10 per cent hike in property tax, which he says has left residents confused, overburdened and outraged.

Speaking to the media, Dhaliwal accused the civic body of bypassing necessary public notification protocols and imposing the increased tax rates without any formal announcement, thereby pressuring residents to comply within a short deadline under threat of penalties.

The sudden imposition of the tax increase has resulted in long queues and overcrowded conditions at the Municipal office, where staff are overwhelmed, and the infrastructure is inadequate to handle the rush. According to Dhaliwal, this situation has become especially challenging for elderly, ailing, and differently-abled residents, who are forced to wait in the sweltering heat with no special arrangements or dedicated counters to ease their experience. He also noted that citizens are being asked to bring Aadhaar cards, affidavits and other documents—many of which, he claimed, are unnecessary or outdated—just to pay their taxes.

Focusing on residents whose properties fall under the ‘Lal Lakir’ category, Dhaliwal pointed out that they are being harassed for documents such as TS-1 forms, which were discontinued years ago. He questioned why such outdated paperwork is being demanded, especially when the Municipal Corporation already has existing tax records for these properties.

The MLA also criticised recent changes to the tax payment system, particularly the introduction of a new form that many citizens find difficult to understand. Unlike the previous system, which was simpler and linked payments to property IDs and mobile numbers, the new system is confusing and has forced many residents to seek external help to complete the process.

Dhaliwal demanded an immediate rollback of the 10 per cent hike and called for refunds or adjustments for those who have already paid the increased amount.

He also called for a complete overhaul of the system to make it more citizen-friendly, urging the Corporation to establish separate counters for senior citizens and differently-abled individuals. Additionally, he recommended launching proper awareness campaigns to inform the public about the required documents and procedures, thus preventing unnecessary harassment.