The First Bench of the Madras High Court has directed the Commissioner of Chennai Corporation to conduct an inquiry with regard to the properties owned by a councillor, their title, legality, validity of constructions and an assessment of property tax for the same.
The Bench, comprising Chief Justice S.K. Kaul and Justice M. Sundar, passed the direction on a plea referred to the Bench by a Single Judge.
The issue pertains to an allegation made by Pon. Thangavel, a resident of Injambakkam, that councillors who own multiple residential and commercial properties in Chennai are coercing the officials to assess lower amounts of tax for their properties. As an example, he pointed out with necessary documents that V. Annamalai, councillor of Ward 196, who possessed a number of “palatial” immovable properties in the city, had been levied a meagre tax, ranging from Rs. 55 to Rs. 110.
Appalled at the submissions, the single judge directed the State Election Commission to produce the declaration of assets made by Mr. Annamalai, during the elections in 2011 and 2016. When the documents were produced, noting that it had shocked the conscience of the court, the judge said, “He stated that he did not have any property on his own, whereas the documents produced before the court shows that he and his family have 12 properties in the city.”
Expanding the scope of the plea to include all the councillors elected from 2006, the judge had referred the issue to the Chief Justice.
When the matter came up for hearing before the First Bench, the Bench directed the authorities to conduct the enquiry and file a report in four weeks. The court then posted the matter to January 24, 2017.
The Bench, comprising Chief Justice S.K. Kaul and Justice M. Sundar, passed the direction on a plea referred to the Bench by a Single Judge.
The issue pertains to an allegation made by Pon. Thangavel, a resident of Injambakkam, that councillors who own multiple residential and commercial properties in Chennai are coercing the officials to assess lower amounts of tax for their properties. As an example, he pointed out with necessary documents that V. Annamalai, councillor of Ward 196, who possessed a number of “palatial” immovable properties in the city, had been levied a meagre tax, ranging from Rs. 55 to Rs. 110.
Appalled at the submissions, the single judge directed the State Election Commission to produce the declaration of assets made by Mr. Annamalai, during the elections in 2011 and 2016. When the documents were produced, noting that it had shocked the conscience of the court, the judge said, “He stated that he did not have any property on his own, whereas the documents produced before the court shows that he and his family have 12 properties in the city.”
Expanding the scope of the plea to include all the councillors elected from 2006, the judge had referred the issue to the Chief Justice.
When the matter came up for hearing before the First Bench, the Bench directed the authorities to conduct the enquiry and file a report in four weeks. The court then posted the matter to January 24, 2017.