Madras High Court directs to seal 729 shops in Koyambedu

Justice N Kirubakaran passing an interim order on a plea by two shop owners against the property tax demand from 1996 to 2015, directed the Commissioner of Police, to provide appropriate police protection at the time of sealing the 700 odd shops. To that extent, the judge also suo motu impleaded the police Commissioner in the case and directed the Government Pleader MS Diwakar to inform the Commissioner about the order passed by the court. He then posted the matter for compliance to June 20. 

Also, recording the aspect that court’s earlier interim order had made the defaulters to make payment to the tune of Rs 2.19 crore from November 17, 2016 to November 29, 2016, the judge said, out of the 2325 shops, as many as 1,566 shop owners have paid property tax amounting to Rs 2.95 crore before April 27, 2017. Thereafter, 30 shop owners have paid Rs 13.33 lakh by June 29, 2017. But, the remaining 729 show owners were yet to pay.

Justice Kirubakaran also held “It is pertinent to note that the property tax collected from shop owners in Koyambedu has not been revised, as the last tax revision took place way back in 1998. But as per the provision of the City Municipal Corporation Act, 1919 the property tax must be revised once in four years. Hence, as per the said provision, four revisions should have taken place since the revision in 1998. However, the officials and higher ups of the Chennai Corporation had deliberately failed and neglected to revise the tax for political gains.”