Thursday, November 14, 2013

GHMC can’t tax vacant lands: High Court

By S A Ishaqui
Hyderabad, Nov 14 : The Andhra Pradesh  High Court has ruled that the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation has no right to levy tax on vacant lands other than the land appurtenant to buildings.
A bench comprising Justice G. Rohini and Justice Challa Kodanda Ram declared that levying of tax on vacant lands other than the land appurtenant to the buildings as provided under Section 212 (2) of the Hyderabad Municipal Corporation Act was illegal.
K. Rajiv, a resident of Jubilee Hills, moved the court challenging the notice for a tax of Rs 2,44,753 for the vacant land. He told the court that he had applied to the GHMC to construct a house and the permit was given in 2008, and construction completed in 2010. He said GHMC had demanded vacant land tax for 2006-10. Rajiv said there was no provision for vacant land tax in the Act.
The HC directed the GHMC to calculate property tax in the manner explained in the judgement in the Himayatnagar Ratepayers Association vs the Hyderabad Municipal Corporation Commissioner case.
of Municipal Corporation, Hyderabad. The bench allowed by the petitions by quashing the property tax demands.

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