JKHCBA Urges Withdrawal of Property Tax Decision in Jammu and Kashmir
J&K High Court Bar Association Calls for Emergency Response to Imposition of Property Tax
22-02-2023 : The J&K High Court Bar Association, Jammu in view of the alarming and extraordinary situations require an equivalent emergency response. And when it happens to be a situation that directly relates to the survival of the people, the response has to be extraordinary and quick.
There is an alarming situation developing in Jammu and Kashmir with the decision of the U.T. administration to impose property tax, without any prior consultations with either the elected representatives of the Municipal Corporations, Councils, Committees, political parties or the civil society, on the hapless people of Jammu and Kashmir in particular Jammu already reeling under the anti-people and anti-Jammu policies of the Centre as well as the U.T. administration.
The imposition of property tax, which is one of the series of measures taken by the U.T. administration to financially burden the predominantly middle class and poor populace of Jammu and Kashmir without making them financially viable to bear this burden, has forced the Jammu and Kashmir High Court Bar Association (JKHCBA) to respond to the situation. The members felt against this issue of utmost public importance.
This is an alarming situation directly affecting the people of Jammu and Kashmir which the JKHCBA members felt needed an immediate response. Such a decision of far-reaching consequence should have been left by the U.T. administration for an elected government to take. The elected representatives of the people are better versed with people’s problems and their economic status rather than the closely-seated bureaucratic rule
This is nothing but imposition of Tax targeting the people and is an act of repression and diversion from the basic problems of unemployment, poverty, dire strait of farming community and agriculture, the unresolved issues of the people of border areas particularly the ex-servicemen. We are counting all these vulnerable sections of the society as they will all have to pay property tax without their problems being first addressed and measures taken to either provide them employment or increase their incomes commensurate with the tax regime unleashed by the Government.
The imposition of an incommensurate tax regime in a border and strategic area of Jammu and Kashmir which has meager sources of employment and income, is only symptomatic of the administration desperately trying to come to terms with the likely poor financial condition that the Union Territory is faced with. People have a right to know the ground realities rather than being fed with the falsehood of having created thousands of jobs and a flood of investment which the UT has received over the months.
The imposition of the property tax regime is reprehensible and condemnable beyond words. The JKHCBA steadfastly stands by the people and also demands of the political parties, particularly ruling BJP, social and religious organizations to unitidily fight against this misguided anti-people tax regime.
The decision to impose Property Tax from April Ist should be withdrawn immediately lest the society becomes restive.
The J&K High Court Bar Association, Jammu held a meeting under the Chairmanship of Sh. M.K. Bhardwaj, Sr. Adv. President, JKHCBAJ today on 22nd of February, 2023 in which all the office bearers namely S. Mohinder Pal Singh Palli, Vice President, Sh. Surjeet Singh Andotra, General Secretary, Sh. Aditya Sharma, Joint Secretary, S. Amandeep Singh, Treasurer and many senior and young lawyers participated in the meeting and have unanimously decided to abstain from the work in all the Courts including Hon’ble High Court J&K Jammu on 23rd February, 2023, in protest against the imposition of the property Tax order issued vide S.O. No. 87 dated 21st February, 2023 by the Housing & Urban Development Department, U.T. of Jammu & Kashmir .
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