MBMC issues property tax bills after due date, penalizes residents

Mira Bhayander Municipal Corporation (MBMC) is forcing lakhs of residents to pay property tax penalty along with interest because of its own inefficiency. The civic body distributed property tax bills to the residents after the due date and is now asking them to cough up interest and penalty for delayed payment.

The property tax bills distributed to lakhs of residents mention bill date of May-June, due date for which is August-end. However, the people received the same only a week ago, much after the payment due date.

"In spite of their fault, by asking residents to pay 2% interest as well as penalty for delayed payment, the civic body is indulging in an unfair practice," said Mira Road resident Mukhtar Khan.
Another resident, Prabhakar Shetty, said, "The act of the civic authorities puts blame on to the law abiding citizens who clear all payments before the due date. In other words, residents are being tagged as tax-evaders, when the fact is the civic officials are incompetent".

"MBMC should have waived off the penalty and interest even before residents start raising objections. There are several property owners who have paid penalty, for such cases, civic authorities should adjust the amount in next year's property tax bill along with 2% interest," said Advocate Kishore Samant of Democratic Youth Federation of India, youth wing of CPIM.

An MBMC official shared that despite repeated reminders to the authorities concerned, bills were generated and printed after several months, so when the time came to distribute these property tax bills, it was well past the due date. Now, people were approaching them daily with objections.

Clarifying on the subject, Assistant Municipal Commissioner Swati Deshpande said, "There is error from our end, we would want people to pay their property tax bills along with penalty and interest. Those who have objections may also give an application so that the same can be taken up with higher authorities. However, at the moment we cannot commit if the penalty amount will get adjusted in the next bill."

Despite repeated attempts, MBMC Commissioner Naresh Gite did not respond for clarification on interest and penalty waiver or extension of due date.