R.Inbanathan v. The Commissioner
IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT MADRAS Dated : 02.06.2025
CORAM
THE HON'BLE Mr. JUSTICE KRISHNAN RAMASAMY & W.M.P.No.18210 of 2025 R.Inbanathan ... Petitioner Vs.
1.The Commissioner, Greater Chennai Corporation, Ripon Building, Chennai 600 003 2.The Reginal Deputy Commissioner (RDC), Greater Chennai Corporation (Central), No.36, Pulla Avenue, Bharathi Puram, Shenoy Nagar, Chennai 600 030 3.The Senior Revenue Officer, Zonal Office No.V, Greater Chennai Corporation, No.61, Basin Bridge Road, Old Washermenpet, Chennai 600 021 4.The Assistant Revenue Officer, Zonal Office No-V, Greater Chennai Corporation, No.61, Basin Bridge Road, Old Washermenpet, Chennai 600 021 1/7
5.The Zonal Officer, Zone V, Greater Chennai Corporation, Ripon Building, Chennai 600 003 ... Respondents Prayer:
Writ Petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India praying to issue a Writ of Certiorarified Mandamus, to call for the records relating to the Notice dated 05.08.2024, issued by the 4th respondent in ZOVRDC.No.R1/SPL/2024 in respect of the property ID No.05-059-04727-000 for demanding the due amount of Rs.1,87,669/- and to quash the same and further, to direct the respondents to consider my representation dated 27.01.2025.
For Petitioner : Mr.S.Vijayaraghavan For Respondent : Mr.S.Gopinathan, Standing Counsel
ORDER
This writ petition has been filed to direct the respondent to consider the petitioner's representation dated 27.01.2025. 2/7
2. Mr.S.Gopinathan, learned Standing counsel, takes notice on behalf of the respondents. By consent of the parties, the main writ petition is taken up for disposal at the admission stage itself.
3. The learned counsel for the petitioner would submit that in this case, without any prior intimation or notice, the property tax of the petitioner's property was enhanced by the respondent from the year 2001. However, the petitioner came to know about the said enhancement only on 01.10.2009. Subsequently, for reduction of the said property tax, an online complaint was sent by the petitioner on 27.07.2009. However, the same was not considered by the respondent. Thereafter, they had physically filed the complaints before the 4th respondent on 01.12.2010, 21.08.2012 & 08.03.2013. However, the same were not at all considered. Under these circumstances, once again the property tax was enhanced by the respondent without any prior intimation and in this regard, a demand notice dated 25.08.2023 was issued. Aggrieved over the said enhancement, the petitioner had filed their representations dated 3/7
18.10.2023, 05.08.2024 & 27.01.2025. However, the same were not at all considered by the respondent till date. Hence, this writ petition.
4. In reply, the learned Standing counsel appearing for the respondents would requests this Court to pass appropriate orders directing the respondents to consider and dispose of the representation made by the petitioner.
5. Heard the learned counsel for the petitioner and the learned Standing counsel for the respondents and also perused the materials available on record.
6. In the case on hand, without any prior intimation, the property tax was enhanced twice by the respondent, i.e., in the year 2001 and 2023 and hence, several representations along with representation dated 27.01.2025 had been filed by the petitioner for reduction of property tax. However, the same was not considered by the respondents till date. 4/7
7. In view of the above, this Court directs the respondents to consider the petitioner's representation dated 27.01.2025 and dispose of the same on its own merits and in accordance with law within a period of 4 weeks from the date of receipt of copy of this order. Further, the respondents are directed to defer the proceedings against the petitioner, pertaining to the demand notice, until the disposal of aforesaid petitioner's representation dated 27.01.2025.
8. With the above directions, this writ petition is disposed of. No costs. Consequently, the connected miscellaneous petitions are also closed.
02.06.2025 Speaking/Non-speaking order Index : Yes / No nsa To 1.The Commissioner, Greater Chennai Corporation, Ripon Building, Chennai 600 003 5/7
2.The Reginal Deputy Commissioner (RDC), Greater Chennai Corporation (Central), No.36, Pulla Avenue, Bharathi Puram, Shenoy Nagar, Chennai 600 030 3.The Senior Revenue Officer, Zonal Office No.V, Greater Chennai Corporation, No.61, Basin Bridge Road, Old Washermenpet, Chennai 600 021 4.The Assistant Revenue Officer, Zonal Office No-V, Greater Chennai Corporation, No.61, Basin Bridge Road, Old Washermenpet, Chennai 600 021 5.The Zonal Officer, Zone V, Greater Chennai Corporation, Ripon Building, Chennai 600 003 6/7
KRISHNAN RAMASAMY.J., nsa and W.M.P.No.18210 of 2025 02.06.2025 7/7