Chandigarh, April 19 — Chandigarh MP Manish Tewari accused the UT Administration of violating legal procedures in its move to enhance property tax, calling the decision “illegal and unjustified.”
Speaking after launching a CCTV surveillance project funded under his MPLAD scheme in Sector 45, Tewari claimed the proposal to increase property tax bypassed essential legislative steps.
“The agenda was never placed before the House Tax Committee, nor was it debated in the Municipal Corporation House,” he said. “No formal resolution was passed. This is a serious lapse.”
Citing Section 423 of the Municipal Corporation Act, Tewari said the law empowers the government to nullify any House proceedings that do not comply with statutory rules.
“The Act clearly states that the government must offer the corporation a chance to explain before annulling any decision—unless urgency demands otherwise. No such process was followed here,” he noted.
He accused the UT Administration of ignoring legal obligations, stating, “They sidestepped due process and chose to act arbitrarily.”
Tewari also took aim at BJP councillors who threatened to resign over the tax issue, calling it a diversion.
“They are not resigning in protest—they are fleeing accountability,” he said, demanding a white paper on the financial health of the Municipal Corporation.
The Congress MP further alleged that the BJP was misleading Chandigarh Housing Board flat allottees.
“They promised to regularize structural changes in the flats, but nothing concrete has been done. It’s a betrayal,” he said.
Ward No. 34 councillor Gurpreet Singh Gabi and Chandigarh Congress president H.S. Lucky attended the event. Gabi said the installation of around 60 CCTV cameras across Sectors 45-C and 45-D would help tackle the rising crime rate.
“These cameras will monitor all entry points and internal roads, ensuring better security for residents,” he added.
Read more: Chandigarh Congress Opposes BJP Over Proposed Property Tax Hike
