Bengaluru: After more than 31,000 property tax notices were issued to flat owners — many for alleged discrepancies in parking space declarations — Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has come under fire from citizens, resident welfare groups, and legal experts. In a candid conversation with The Times of India, BBMP chief commissioner M Maheswar Rao addressed the concerns, explained the rationale behind the drive, and responded to accusations ranging from “tax terrorism” to software glitches.What triggered this unprecedented number of property tax notices to citizens?We carried out a verification of the khata records and tax declarations submitted by citizens. Wherever we found discrepancies, notices were issued. Citizens can respond to these notices, and if there is no discrepancy, the matter will be closed. This is part of our duty to ensure compliance. Revenue is vital for the govt, so we’ve taken this step as part of our responsibility.There is widespread public anger that BBMP sent notices without proper groundwork and inspections….While there may be a few isolated cases where errors have occurred, the majority of notices were issued after thorough verification and proper authentication of the data provided by citizens.Some citizens say revenue officials entered the data in e-khata melas and then issued notices for mismatches between returns filed and registered deedsThese are two separate processes. At the e-khata melas, our sole objective was to help citizens obtain their khata and update their details. At that stage, we relied on the information declared by the citizens themselves and were not checking for discrepancies. The current verification exercise is independent of that process and focuses on identifying any mismatches.Citizens complain that your software is reading “carpet area” as “car parking area”. How do you explain that?We acknowledge that some citizens have reported such errors, with around 31,000 cases flagged — though this is a relatively small sample size for a city like Bengaluru. While we aim for an error-free system, occasional stray cases do arise. We will address each affected case individually. Our teams are working overtime to fix any glitchesMany senior citizens & pensioners, who have paid taxes all these years, feel offended at being labelled “tax evaders”.We regret if anyone felt offended. Our intention is not to label honest taxpayers as tax evaders. Notices are issued only where discrepancies have been detected.Don’t such actions portray Bengaluru as a city of “tax terrorism” and discourage investments?We do not agree with that term. BBMP strives to be one of the most citizen-friendly municipal bodies in the country when it comes to taxation. Our focus is on fairness and compliance, not harassment.Should BBMP not be using credible software from reputed companies, given its Rs 5,000-crore revenue target?We are open to using the best possible technology. However, we are bound by govt procurement processes, which we follow strictly when selecting software vendors. We are using NIC for the e-khata services.What’s your solution to address grievances?Citizens can approach our head office directly. Our helplines are open, and they can also reach out to the special commissioner (revenue), Munish Moudgil, to resolve issues.Will you act against officials in cases where parking space claimed by BBMP is larger than the built-up area itself as usually, a show-cause notice is issued after all due processes, including a spot inspection?Not all 31,000 cases involve the same issue. It may be due to data errors. We will review such cases and address them on a case-by-case basis.
