Bill seeks to double property tax for building plan violations in Karnataka

Does your property have more built-up area than what was approved in the building plan? Then, be ready to cough up double the property tax.

The assembly on Friday passed the Karnataka Municipal Corporations (Amendment) Bill 2020 which seeks to collect a penalty equivalent to property tax on any building constructed without permission or in violation of building bylaws.

The move will come into force after the bill is passed by the legislative council and gets the governor’s assent. “The bill seeks to check unauthorised construction of buildings in Bengaluru and also penalise those who flout building bylaws,” said home minister Basavaraj Bommai, who piloted the bill on behalf of chief minister BS Yediyurappa. The penalty will be in proportion to the extent of violations, he said.

Accordingly, penal fee will be levied on the property tax for the additional area (in sqft) which has been annexed by way of violation. Bommai said the bill in no way seeks to regularise unauthorised buildings. His clarification came after Congress MLA HK Patil said the bill should not lead to regularisation of illegal buildings.

“It is a temporary feature and a penalty will be imposed till BBMP clears the violations. The bill doesn’t bar the Palike from taking action against bylaw violations,” said law and parliamentary affairs minister JC Madhuswamy. The bill also seeks to impose one-time fee and annual track rent for laying optical fibre cables in the city.

Disfigurement bill

The assembly also passed a bill to extend applicability of the Karnataka Open Places (Prevention of Disfigurement) Act to areas falling under Bangalore Development Authority or any other urban development or local planning authorities.