Councillors protest manifold increase in property tax in Virudhunagar town

Chairman shocks members claiming that he too was unaware of the hike

Councillors cutting across party lines, including those belonging to the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam staged a walk out from the Virudhunagar municipal council meeting protesting against the unilateral decision made by the officials to increase property tax manifold even for hutments in the town, on Friday.

Even as Communist Party of India (Marxist) member, Jayakumar, raised the issue at the meeting, chaired by the Chairman, R. Madhavan, in the presence of Commissioner M. Sugandhi, he was joined by several Councillors belonging to the DMK, AIADMK, Congress and independents.

“The officials have imposed a steep tax to the tune of ₹1,800 for huts which were earlier paying only ₹100 as tax,” Mr. Jayakumar complained.

The Councillors condemning the high property tax revision and demanded that the hike be rolled back.

Even as the Councillors cornered Chairman R. Madhavan, on the issue, the Chairman shocked everyone by stating that he himself was not aware of the exorbitant hike of property tax implemented by the officials.

The Councillors condemned the unilateral decision taken by the officials without consulting the elected members and staged a walk out. However, the Chairman pacified them and brought them back into the council hall.

“We have a Tax Appealate Committee with four Councillors as members. But, none of us were aware of this move by the officials,” said the panel member and Ward 32 councillor K. P. S. Kalaiarasan.

Though the Councillors gave up their protest and entered the council hall, they ghearoed the Chairman seeking revocation of the property tax hike.

The Councillors, who had sought the list of property assessees whose properties have got increased tax, during the last council meeting reiterated it.

However, the Commissioner said that she could not share it and asked the Councillors to give the details of properties that have been imposed high tax.

The Councillors wondered how the elected representatives would know such details when it was the officials who had raised the property tax.

The Chairman then intervened and announced that four teams would be formed to study the property tax revision issue and based on their report action would be taken.

Published - November 29, 2024 09:52 pm IST