Following Batra’s reservations, Assembly Speaker Gian Chand Gupta said The Haryana Municipal Corporation (Amendment) Bill, 2021 will be tabled in the next session of the House. THE HARYANA Vidhan Sabha on Wednesday deferred a Bill in which a provision was made to levy penalty on unlawful use of “building or land” in the areas of civic bodies after Congress MLA B B Batra raised serious concerns over use of the term ‘land’. Following Batra’s reservations, Assembly Speaker Gian Chand Gupta said The Haryana Municipal Corporation (Amendment) Bill, 2021 will be tabled in the next session of the House.
As per a provision of the Bill, “Whoever puts a building or land or a part thereof to any use either in contravention of any law for the time being in force regulating or controlling the use of such building or land or part thereof or in violation of an order or direction, if any, issued under such law, shall be liable to pay a penalty, which shall be equal to two times the amount of property tax that is leviable on such building or land or part thereof, as the case may be…”
When the Bill was tabled in Assembly, Batra said, “How can vacant land be taxed? Why should municipal tax be imposed on a vacant plot? This provision will create trouble for the people. The word land should be defined. This Bill should be reviewed. It may be passed in the next session of Assembly. An Ordinance can also be brought for this (later, if needed).” Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar clarified that there was already a provision to impose tax on the vacant land.
Urban Local Bodies Minister Anil Vij said they will consider how much tax needs to be imposed.