Property tax can’t be imposed without nod of J&K legislature: Harsh Dev

Describing the imposition of Property tax in J&K as highly unjustified, unconstitutional and atrocious, Mr. Harsh Dev Singh, Former Minister and senior NPP leader said that such a move further amounted to encroachment upon the powers of local legislature. He said that the property tax has been imposed through an irregular amendment made in the Municipal Corporation Act and Municipal Council Act by the MHA by taking recourse to the J&K Re-organization Act. He said that such a significant amendment which has a far reaching impact upon the J&K’s economy and its people and could not have been affected without the legislative nod of the Elected Assembly. He said that laws, enactments, amendments pertaining to Municipal Corporations, Councils etc are the prerogative of State Legislatures/local Assemblies as envisaged in schedule VII, list II of the Constitution of India. The GoI and LG administration should have therefore refrained from crossing the rubicon and desisted from embarking upon such a mis-adventure which has sparked massive outrage all over J&K. He reminisced that a bill for imposition of the Property tax was introduced in J&K Assembly as well in 2011 but it was vociferously opposed by the Panthers Party resulting in its withdrawal by the then govt. He was addressing a press conference in Udhampur today.

“Moreover, there was no improvement in the drainage and sanitation system in various cities and towns with Jammu city in particular having been declared as a tail-ender in repeated ‘Swachh Bharat Survekshans’ surveys held by the Union H&UD Ministry. The imposition of property tax in such circumstances after living through huge taxation in the form of Toll Plazas and increased cess and duties on petrol and diesel world prove counterproductive. The BJP would be defenestrated if it failed to withdraw the obnoxious property tax which was likely to affect the very survival of a vast section of population inhabiting the urban areas of J&K”, asserted Harsh.

Cautioning the govt of serious consequences arising from imposition of Property Tax, Mr. Harsh Dev observed that since all the major commercial activities in J&K like tourism, industries, real estate, agriculture, etc had born the brunt of insurgency, civil unrest and natural disasters in the past many years, the move to levy such tax had evoked only cynicism besides sparking outrage amongst people in general. People are under enormous distress. Border dwellers are facing the wrath of skirmishes. Farmers have suffered huge loss of crops and cattle stock due to in clemencies of weather. Unemployment has soared in almost every household. Where from people will pay the Property Tax? J&K needs stimulus packages and not the extortion of taxes”, said Harsh. He called upon Union Minister Amit Shah to review the decision and cautioned MHA that imposition of such an obnoxious tax would only trigger revulsion and public fury. The Panthers Party shall vigorously oppose any move that is anti-people. The people will be forced to lead a mass movement in case the dictatorial decision by the Central govt continues to be imposed on them, roared Harsh.

Present in the Press Conference were Mr. Des Raj (Chairman BDC Ramnagar), Mr. Sunil Paroch (Councillor MC Udhampur), Mr. Rampaul Bhagat (District President SC Cell-NPP Udhampur), Mr. Kuldeep Singh (Sarpanch) besides others.