South corp goes soft over DDCA’s property tax issue

After talking tough on the issue of pending property tax related to the Feroz Shah Kotla stadium, the South Delhi Municipal Corporation has gone soft, citing court orders against any coercive action, an RTI reply has revealed.

After talking tough on the issue of pending property tax related to the Feroz Shah Kotla stadium, the South Delhi Municipal Corporation has gone soft, citing court orders against any coercive action, an RTI reply has revealed.

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Earlier, south corporation mayor Savita Gupta had said that the Delhi District Cricket Association's (DDCA) request to hold a cricket match on February 22 at the stadium would be approved only if the latter paid at least a part of money it owed to the corporation.

Subhash Agrawal, an RTI activist, who had been following the pending structural stability clearance for the stadium since several years, filed yet another RTI application to know the latest status.

Agrawal wanted to know if the joint assessor and collector of south corporation had given a final notice to DDCA for clearing property tax dues of R 8,67,52,780 in January and if DDCA had paid the dues. He also sought complete information on the possible action for recovery of property tax dues and if any sealing of property was an option.

The RTI reply from the corporation clearly mentioned: "As opined by the municipal advocate, the high court has restrained the South Delhi Municipal Corporation from taking any coercive measures in respect of property tax demand.'

Earlier in January, south corporation mayor had explained that she had given permission for the match even though the DDCA had not paid the pending property tax worth about Rs. 8 crore.