The Hindu  08.08.2012

Building tax hike: court issues notice to Corporation

The Kerala High Court on Tuesday asked the Kochi Corporation and the Local Self-government Department to express their views in response to the writ petition filed against the Corporation’s decision to hike building tax.

The writ petition was filed by K.J. Antony of Pachalam and another person.The petitioner alleged that building tax had been revised upwards without hearing the petitioners and other affected residents.

Therefore, there was a violation of the principle of natural justice. The criterion adopted for zoning the areas for the purpose of tax had no logic.

Pachalam area where the petitioner was residing had been included in the Zone A. As per the norms, Zone A has been considered as the most developed areas where business or commercial establishment and education institutions, markets were functioning.

In fact, no government or other semi-government offices were functioning in Pachalam.Only small shops were there.In fact, Pachalam was not a developed area.

Though the residents’ association had submitted a representation objecting to the move to raise tax, no action had been taken by the Corporation to redress the grievances of the petitioner.The Corporation took the decision to increase the tax unilaterally, the writ petition said.

‘The criterion adopted for zoning the areas for the purpose of tax had no logic.’