Consider plea to drop fresh taxes, Corpn told

Justice S Vaidyanathan gave the direction while disposing of a writ petition from M Krishnaswamy of Maniyakaranpalayam praying for a direction to the civic body chief to consider his representation dated Oct 30 last.

The petitioner had contended that in the absence of democratically elected members, the Corporation Commissioner while failing to initiate any new beneficial project for the people had instead imposed new taxes arbitrarily without there being a statute/legislation to that effect.

It had levied 0.1 per cent on the property value for mutation of names in the records, levied tax on garbage, directed the existing consumers to pay revised water deposit amount and imposed hefty taxes on additional constructions, the petitioner said and added that the civic body has been acting as a money-making agency without undertaking any welfare activity.

The petitioner also noted that in most of the cases, the Corporation had not called for objections from the public by publishing the resolutions in the local dailies and people were made aware of the imposition of such taxes only at the time of demand.