MCC fleecing traders through Super Commercial Tax: MLA

Mysuru District Minister to convene meeting next Tuesday

Mysore/Mysuru: A day after the Federation of Organisations and Associations of Mysuru launched a scathing attack on the Mysuru City Corporation (MCC) for carrying out a ‘banner campaign’ to name and shame Property Tax defaulters by putting up boards, K.R. Nagar JD(S) MLA S.R. Mahesh, who owns a couple of business establishments in Mysuru, has lashed out at the civic body for its imposition of ‘Super Commercial Tax’ to harass businessmen.

Addressing a press conference at his Office this morning, the MLA said that the MCC administration can easily be compared to ‘Tughlaq Darbar’ where officers were imposing taxes as per their whims and fancies without honouring the Karnataka Municipal Act.

As per the Act, tax in a city can be levied only in three slabs — commercial, residential and vacant spaces. This ‘Super Commercial slab’ has been introduced only to harass the businessmen, he claimed. Nowhere in the State there is such a tax and the MCC was fleecing and swindling the businessmen, he alleged.

“Super Commercial Tax never existed in any city including Bengaluru. Is Mysuru bigger than Bengaluru? Will Mysuru do more business than Bengaluru? In spite of this, the MCC has imposed this kind of ‘unscientific’ tax system on us in 2008. This showed that the MCC did not want traders to do business,” the MLA said.

Citing an example, he said that the choultry he owned in Dattagalli had to pay Rs. 4 lakh as actual tax as per the provisions of the Karnataka Municipal Act. “But due to the Super Commercial category, I am paying Rs. 8,75,000 as tax,” he claimed.

“The percentage of tax is unscientific which is more than BBMP. I want to know who gave MCC officials permission to collect such huge taxes? Eight theatres in the city have stopped functioning and many businesses have shut and many have gone to the Court,” the MLA added.

Mahesh said, “Due to various reasons, many have not paid taxes for the last 5 to 6 years. If the tax is levied according to the norms, people will pay. There is a proper way to collect tax but is non-payment a crime? If this leads to lawlessness, MCC will be held responsible.”

“All Urban Local Bodies must have a uniform tax rate as per law. Is the MCC above law?” he asked. Mysuru District Minister S.T. Somashekar has assured that he would convene a meeting next Tuesday. If nothing comes through, we will resort to massive protests in the coming days, he added.