Drone Survey Sparks Property Tax Controversy in Bengaluru

The BJP accused the Karnataka Congress government of 'property tax terrorism' in Bengaluru after a drone survey resulted in 24,874 properties receiving show-cause notices. Deputy CM D K Shivakumar promised to address discrepancies and rejected the 'tax terrorism' claims, asserting that objections would be reviewed.

A political storm is brewing in Bengaluru as the BJP accuses the Congress-led government of orchestrating 'property tax terrorism' against its citizens. This accusation comes on the heels of the state deploying drone technology to conduct a city-wide property audit.

During a heated Question Hour, Jayanagar BJP MLA C K Ramamurthy highlighted the issue by presenting figures that indicate nearly 3,000 to 4,000 notices had been dispatched in his constituency alone. These notices, he claimed, cited taxes on structural elements such as roofs and water tanks, some reaching as high as Rs 30 lakh.

Reacting to the allegations, Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar assured stakeholders that discrepancies, if any, would be rectified. He downplayed claims of taxation on non-livable spaces, asserting that the high-tech survey was merely aimed at uncovering declared property inconsistencies. Shivakumar mentioned the government's objective to recover Rs 688 crore through this endeavor but remained open to examining any formal objections.

(With inputs from agencies.)