NDMC panel postpones proposal to hike taxes

However, members of the opposition AAP held protests and raised slogans outside the House at the Civic Center against the proposal. The NDMC panel's proposal to hike taxes owing to financial crunch was postponed for the next meeting.

A proposal to introduce professional tax and impose hike on three other taxes was postponed by the standing committee of the North Delhi Municipal Corporation on Wednesday, officials said. However, members of the opposition AAP held protests and raised slogans outside the House at the Civic Center against the proposal.

The NDMC panel's proposal to hike taxes owing to financial crunch was postponed for the next meeting. The proposal includes levying of a professional tax, and hike in tax for unauthorised colonies, property transfer duty and electricity tax.

AAP members held the protest by raising slogans and demanded the proposal be rejected by the NDMC panel. The protest at the Civic Center was led by party's municipal corporation incharge Durgesh Pathak. The AAP later claimed that the protest "forced" the BJP-led NDMC to withdraw the proposal.

The BJP-led South Delhi Municipal Corporation on July 27 had approved levying of professional tax on salaried individuals and others amid furore from the AAP, which protested the move in the SDMC House. As per the decision, salaried individuals and professionals like doctors and lawyers will have to pay professional tax if their monthly income is above Rs 50,000, officials said. PTI KND HMB