Kasinadha Sastry, v. State Of Telangana,

THE HON'BLE SRI JUSTICE CHALLA KODANDA RAM WRIT PETITION No.3696 of 2018 ORDER:

Challenging the action of the 4th respondent-Panchayat Secretary, Gram Panchayat, Puppalaguda, in raising demand of property tax from 300% to 1100% to the petitioners' houses, situated at Puppalaguda Gram Panchayat, Rajendernagar Mandal, Ranga Reddy District, for the assessment year 2017-2018, the present Writ Petition is filed.

The case of the petitioners is that the 4th respondent-Gram Panchayat has enhanced the tax from 300% to 1100% times on the existing property tax, contrary to the rules, and the Demand Notices have been issued for huge sums in utter violation of the procedure prescribed. Various other grounds have also been raised in the Writ Petition.

Learned Standing Counsel appearing for the Gram Panchayat fairly submits that the Demand Notices have been issued in violation of Rules issued under G.O.Ms.No.30, Panchayat Raj Rural Development and Relief, dated 20.01.1995, which contemplated issuance of Special Notice before issuance of the Demand Notice. In those circumstances, the learned Standing Counsel submits that the Demand Notices may be set aside giving liberty to the Gram Panchayat to take appropriate steps to assess and demand the tax in accordance with law. The fair submission of the learned Standing counsel is appreciable. In the light of the submission made above, the Demand Notices issued to the petitioners are set aside with liberty to the

Gram Panchayat to take appropriate steps for collection of the tax in accordance with law. Accordingly, the Writ Petition is disposed of. No order as to costs.

Consequently, Miscellaneous Petitions pending, if any, in this Writ Petition, shall stand closed.

_____________________________ CHALLA KODANDA RAM, J.

Date: 08.02.2018.

Ssv