Jammu: Lawyers of the Jammu and Kashmir High Court Bar Association on Thursday held a strike against the administration’s decision to impose property tax in the Union Territory.
The Jammu and Kashmir administration on Tuesday issued a notification for imposition of property tax in the UT, which will come into effect from the next financial year.
Lawyers of the Jammu Bar association suspended the work in the courts on Thursday against the “anti-people” decision, Bar members said.
They strongly condemned the imposition of property tax, saying the people of J&K are already reeling under financial distress owing to the “wrong policies” of the administration.
“The LG administration is making repeated assaults on the people of J&K,” they said, appealing it to immediately withdraw the decision.
It may be recalled here that the decision of the UT government to levy property tax has created panic in Kashmir as people, suffering a huge economic meltdown since 2019 are wondering how they could pay more while earning a little.
Following the Union Government’s decision of scrapping Article 370 and dividing the erstwhile Jammu and Kashmir state into two Union Territories on August 05, 2019, the economic activities in the region came to a halt. Whatever was left, was consumed by the COVID-19 pandemic. Net result – economy just collapsed.
And in this backdrop, the property tax has come as a bolt from the blue.
Srinagar Municipal Corporation has decided to contest government’s move to impose property tax, as the move has evoked sharp reactions from political parties here who targeted the Lieutenant Governor administration terming the move as “anti-people” and “undemocratic”.
Junaid Azim Mattu, Mayor SMC, Srinagar has said that the decision is violative of municipal empowerment.
“Imposition of Property Tax in J&K is ironically violative of municipal empowerment as this has neither been deliberated upon, nor approved by elected ULBs.”
“While SMC will explore ways to contest this arbitrary move, I am writing to the Hon’ble LG seeking a withdrawal of the SO,” Mattu had tweeted.
Meanwhile, National Conference, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Peoples Conference chairman and CPI(M) have strongly opposed the move.
