The Jammu and Kashmir administration ordered the imposition of property tax in municipal areas of the union territory from April 1.
‘In exercise of the power conferred by section 71A of the Jammu and Kashmir Municipal Act, 2000, the government hereby notifies the rules for levy, assessment and collection of property tax in the municipalities and municipal councils of the UT, housing and urban development department’ principal secretary H Rajesh Prasad said in a notification.
The tax rates will be 5% of taxable annual value (TAV) for residential properties and 6% for commercial properties, it stated.
“In exercise of the power conferred by section 71A of the Jammu and Kashmir Municipal Act, 2000, the government hereby notifies the rules for levy, assessment and collection of property tax in the municipalities and municipal councils of the UT,” housing and urban development department principal secretary H Rajesh Prasad said in a notification.
The National Conference, meanwhile, demanded immediate roll-back of the notification, saying it smacks of arbitrariness.
NC spokesperson Imran Nabi Dar said the people of Jammu and Kashmir “have been at the receiving end economically since 2019” due to the losses suffered because of the restrictions imposed from August 5 that year and subsequent Covid-induced lockdowns.
“Imposition of the property tax will further push the people to the wall. Such decisions will make the situation even worse…. Such matters should be left to an elected government,” he added.
In October 2020, the ministry of home affairs (MHA) had empowered the Jammu and Kashmir administration to impose the property tax after an amendment to the J&K Municipal Act, 2000, and J&K Municipal Corporation Act, 2000 through the J&K Reorganisation (Adaption of State Laws) order, 2020.