Indian Express 22.03.2010
Ahead of Navi Mumbai civic elections, rush to clear dues
Stuti Shukla Tags : corporation, property tax Posted: Monday , Mar 22, 2010 at 0113 hrs
Mumbai: Candidates, including many corporators, for the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation polls are rushing to pay their property tax arrears and other dues to the civic body to get No Objection Certificates (NOCs) mandatory for those wishing to contest the civic body polls next month.In the past 20 days, Rs 9 crores as property tax and water bills amounting to Rs 2 crores have been paid to the NMMC. The cess department has recovered another Rs 8 lakhs, sources said. This is being mostly attributed to the rush for NOCs.
It is compulsory for a candidate, besides the proposer and the seconder, to obtain NOCs from the property tax, water and cess departments of NMMC to contest the elections scheduled for April 11.
Around 1,200 candidates have filed their nominations for the 89 seats in the civic body. “Because of the elections, dues unpaid for long are being recovered as candidates are clearing them for NOCs...,” said Deputy Municipal Commissioner (Property Tax) Prakash Kulkarni.
Tax collection has been better in general this year. Till March 20 of the last financial year, the NMMC had collected Rs 172 crores as property tax but the figure crossed Rs 200 crores on the corresponding date this fiscal, civic officials said.
Elections will be held at 625 booths in 125 polling stations, mostly schools and colleges. Around 400 private teachers and 525 NMMC schoolteachers would be pressed into poll duty.
Deputy Municipal Commissioner (Elections) said, “Around 6.29 lakh registered voters are expected to cast their votes.”
