One-time property tax amnesty scheme-‘SAMRIDDHI 2022-23 launched for Delhiites

Rajendra  S Markuna

New Delhi: LG Vinai Kumar Saxena on Tuesday  announced a one-time property tax amnesty scheme -‘SAMRIDDHI 2022-23’, terming it as a Diwali gift to the people of Delhi.

The amnesty scheme envisages ‘ONE PLUS FIVE’ for residential and  ‘ONE PLUS SIX’ for non-residential properties.  The taxpayers of residential properties under ‘ONE PLUS FIVE’ scheme are required to pay the principal amount of property tax for the current Year and  previous 5 years (i.e. FY 2022-23 + FYs 2017-18 to 2021-22) whereupon 100% interest and penalty on the outstanding tax amount shall be exempted and all the previous dues prior to 2017-18, will be waived off.

Similarly, under ‘ONE PLUS SIX’ for non-residential properties scheme, property owners have to make payment of principal amount of property tax for the current year and  previous 6 years (i.e. FY 2022-23 + FYs 2016-17 to 2021-22) whereupon 100% interest and penalty on the outstanding tax amount shall be exempted and all the previous dues prior to 2016-17, will be completely waived off.

According to this scheme, if any taxpayer has already paid tax dues of any of the years 2017-18 onwards or 2016-17 onwards, but which has not been captured in MCD tax data, they have to submit the proof of payment so that the tax data base can be updated. Such cases where principal, interest and penalty have already been paid before the launch of the scheme, shall not be reassessed and reopened.

The benefits of the scheme shall be available to only those taxpayers who settle their tax dues as per the scheme. In case, a tax payer fails to settle his tax dues by 31st March 2023, he shall be liable to pay all tax dues along with interest and penalty since 2004 or since whichever year it has been pending and shall not be entitled to any waiver as per the scheme.

The coercive measures to collect the tax dues shall be launched against such defaulters from 01.04.2023.        The scheme will also cover cases of the dishonored cheque (s) including cases where bank account and property has been attached as well as those pending under litigation in any court(s) of law, subject to respective terms and conditions.

The scrutiny of the tax payment under the scheme will be done strictly within one year from the date of tax payment. During the scrutiny, if it is found that taxpayer has not deposited right amount of tax by willful suppression of fact or misrepresentation of fact, the benefits extended shall be withdrawn.

LG said that this new amnesty scheme will also widen the tax base, enable tax payers to settle their dues in a proper manner and enable MCD to build a proper tax data base by being more pragmatic with respect to enforcement of its long pending tax dues.