Srinagar: Apni Party president Mohammad Altaf Bukhari Tuesday asked the government to ‘revisit’ its decision of imposing property tax in Jammu and Kashmir.
Bukhari said since no major economic activity was witnessed in the newly carved-out Union Territory after August 05, 2019, imposing property tax would be no less than a ‘shocker’ for the people of Jammu and Kashmir.
He was, however, quick to add that no formal order has been issued by the government with regard to the imposition of property tax thus far.
“I would like to appeal to the Lieutenant Governor to revisit any proposal aimed at imposing property tax in Jammu and Kashmir. People are weak enough to receive shocks and aftershocks as no major economic activity was witnessed here after August 05, 2019,” Bukhari told reporters on the sidelines of party convention here.
The Apni Party leader said the people of Jammu and Kashmir have suffered heavily over the years and it would be inappropriate to leave them ‘over burdened’ under present fragile economic conditions.
An ‘unauthenticated’ order being circulated by a section of media about imposing property tax in Jammu and Kashmir evoked sharp reactions from the people and political circle as well.
“So far as the order of imposing property tax in Jammu and Kashmir is concerned, I haven’t seen any such order and I think whatever is being circulated or speculated is far from the reality. Yes, but if it is true, it would be no less than a shocker for the people,” added Bukhari.
It may be in place to mention that Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha is on record to say the government does not intend to impose property tax in Jammu and Kashmir.
“Let me be very clear that there is no proposal to impose property tax in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir,” LG was quoted as having said in October last year.
