BENGALURU: Arming itself with more teeth to tackle delinquents, Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) is now empowered to attach the bank accounts of property tax defaulters as part of its arrears-recovery process.
A notification to this effect was issued on Monday as part of the BBMP (property tax assessment, recovery and management) Rules-2024. Currently, around three lakh properties feature on the tax default list.
“Till now, BBMP officials could only raise demand notices for payment of tax and seal the premises. Even this was a challenge as several defaulters approached the courts, opposing the BBMP move. To overcome such legal wrangles, BBMP can now order attachment of the bank accounts, along with immovable property, of the defaulters,” a BBMP official said.
Upon confirming the bank credentials of the tax defaulter, the BBMP can serve an attachment warrant to the bank in Form 16.
‘Bank must furnish defaulters’ info’
Following this, the bank is “also under the statutory obligation to furnish the complete details of all the bank accounts held by the defaulter, including fixed deposits and others”.
If the bank fails to comply and allows the defaulter to withdraw any amount that is available in the account, then BBMP can initiate action against the bank under Section 222 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita-2023. BBMP is also mandated to serve a copy of the attachment warrant to the defaulter, either in person or through mail or any other electronic medium.
