Political parties in J&K oppose government's move to impose property tax
Mehbooba Mufti
The political parties in Jammu and Kashmir have opposed the move by the J&K Government to impose property tax on the residents of the Union Territory. The administration led by the Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir has issued the order to impose a property tax on people living within the jurisdiction of urban local bodies across the Union Territory with effect from April 1 this year.
The Principal Secretary Housing and Urban Development department issued a notification stating the rules for the levy, assessment and collection of property tax in municipality committees and municipal councils. The rules shall be called as Jammu and Kashmir Property Tax (Other Municipalities) Rules, 2023, and will come into force from April 1, 2023.
The regional political parties in Jammu and Kashmir have come out strongly against the decision. Former J&K chief minister and National Conference leader Omar Abdullah said that the order is “unjust”.
“No Taxation Without Representation. Why should people in J&K pay state taxes, including the proposed property tax when we have no say in how our government is run & no say in the decision-making of J&K. We are expected to be mute spectators to all unjust decisions by Raj Bhavan,” said Omar Abdullah, former J&K chief minister.
The former chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir and PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti, on the other hand, called the decision an injustice. ''The people of this region have faced terrorism for decades and whatever was left was taken away during Covid, the economic condition of people is also worse, and now imposing this property tax is completely unacceptable. The people of the Union territory should come out and resist the government's decision in a peaceful manner. These decisions should be left for the elected government to decide, '' said Mehbooba Mufti, Former Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir.
However, the LG administration has given out a clarification that Jammu and Kashmir is the only place in India where property tax wasn't being paid by the people. According to the government, it hampers the developmental work in the ULBs and municipal committees of UT.
