Ibni Maqbool
Srinagar, Oct 27: The Central Government has empowered the Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir to constitute Property Tax Board whenever the Union Territory is without its elected government.
According to the Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir Reorganisation (adaptation of state law) fifth order, 2020, to empower the LG to appoint chairman and members of property tax board in absence of an elected government in the UT. “Provided that during the continuation of proclamation issued under section 73 of the Jammu & Kashmir Reorganisation Act, the chairperson and members of the Board shall be appointed by the Lieutenant Governor,” reads the amendments made in the law through the order.
According to the law, the chairman and members of the panel shall be appointed by cabinet on recommendations of a committee headed by Chief Minister, Minister in-Charge Housing & Urban Development Board and Minister in-charge Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs.
The committee shall recommend a panel of two persons for each post to the cabinet for approval, the law states.
Under the law, the chairperson shall be a person not below the rank of person of commissioner secretary rank to the government.
The members shall be persons having knowledge and experience in the field of municipal administration, valuation of property, accountancy law and management.
It is worthwhile to mention here that J&K LG Manoj Sinha had earlier this month claimed that the government will not impose any property tax in the Union Territory.
“Let me clarify that there is no proposal to impose the property tax in Jammu and Kashmir Union Territory,” Sinha had said.
Sinha made the statement after Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) had empowered the J&K administration to impose the property tax after an amendment to the J&K Municipal Act, 2000 and J&K Municipal Corporation Act, 2000 through the J&K Reorganisation (Adaption of State Laws) order, 2020.
