Mangaldai lawyers’ body opposes tax hike

MANGALDAI: Office bearers of Mangaldai Bar Association, the only organization of the practising lawyers of Darrang district along with the residents of Mangaldai town has also expressed sharp reaction over the sky high rise of property taxes in the draft published by the local civic body here. Mangaldai Bar Association meanwhile has moved the authorities to review and revise the draft property and holding tax etc published by the Mangaldai Municipality Board (MMB).

In a memorandum, signed by its president Hari Ram Saharia and secretary Hemanta Kr Sarma, submitted on Friday has cited ten separate grounds in support of their demand. It is stated that the draft is prepared without strictly complying with the provisions of section 68 to 92 of the Assam Municipal Act 1956 which deals with the matter of imposing taxes. The municipal authority is competent to impose tax on holding, light, drainage, water, latrine and private market under section 68 of the said Act, but in addition to that it has levied urban tax which is in contrary to the provisions of the Act.

The petition further pointed out that while assessing tax the authorities categorised the house building that rented out to a private individual or government office as commercial which is against the provisions of section 79 (iii) of the Act. Similarly it has been alleged that the determination of the annual value of a holding is carried out in most unjustified, unreasonable and unethical manner and application of such method to enhance the annual value of a holding in manifold causing great deal of hardship to the residents. Opposing the adoption of Delhi schedule rate, 2021, for calculation of the building valuation in stead of the state PWD department, the petition pointed out that there is a vast difference in value of land between Assam and Delhi. Similarly the per capita income of Delhi ie Rs 598822.00 is much higher than that of Assam i.e Rs 122654.00. It has also been observed that the circle rate, as stated in section 798 (ii) of the Act, is determined without taking into consideration of the relevant factors. Thus a person who normally pays Rs 2000 as annual tax is now forced to pay Rs 25000.00. Terming the enhancement as absolutely irrational, unreasonable and unjustified, it prayed before the government to review and revise the draft property tax in a rational manner and added that at the time of taking the next decision in future, the opinion of all the stakeholders must be taken into account.