BBMP’s tax recovery is worse than microfinance firms: BJP

The Opposition BJP members criticised new rules framed by the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) to penalise property tax defaulters and compared it to the tactics used by microfinance institutions for recovery of loans.

Speaking on the State budget 2025-26 in the Legislative Assembly on Thursday, C.K. Ramamurthy said 10,000 properties have been sealed in Bengaluru. Some IAS officers have levied hefty penalties and were using coercive measures to recover tax dues, he said.

Mr Ramamurthy claimed that for dues of ₹7,000 to ₹12,000, properties were being sealed and put up for auction and urged the government to provide sufficient time to citizens to pay taxes.

Mr Ramamurthy accused the BBMP of proceeding towards auctioning properties for tax dues for a meagre ₹8,000. “In my constituency (Jayanagar), people have attempted suicide,” he said, criticising the government’s drive to mop up taxes amounting to ₹6,000 crore.

Leader of the Opposition R. Ashok said the BBMP’s rules are not citizen-friendly. Property tax defaulters have been asked to pay a penalty, which was double the amount due, with a 15% rate of interest, he pointed out.

He accused the government of running a “meter baddi” (meter interest) business, which is an exploitative practice of lending at extremely high rates of interest.