If You’re Cheating the Civic Body, You’re the Target: GBA Begins Commercial Property Tax Audit in West Bengaluru
Bengaluru: Sending out a clear warning to commercial property owners, officials of the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) have launched a property tax revision and inspection drive in Bengaluru West City Corporation, signalling that similar action could soon extend across all civic bodies within GBA limits.
The drive was carried out in Ward No. 64 of the Malleswaram Division, along Margosa Road, where senior officials inspected non-residential (commercial) properties and issued strict directions to field staff to identify instances of tax evasion and misclassification.
Dr. Rajendra K.V., Commissioner of Bengaluru West City Corporation, instructed officials to conduct a comprehensive survey of all commercial properties within the corporation’s jurisdiction and ensure that property tax is levied strictly in accordance with actual usage.
During the inspection, officials found several cases where commercial properties were declared as ‘self-occupied’ under the Self-Assessment Scheme (SAS) but were, in reality, rented out or used for commercial purposes. In other instances, vacant plots were being used for paid car parking and other revenue-generating activities without corresponding tax declarations.
The Commissioner directed officials to re-assess such properties, revise the revenue records, and recover the applicable differential tax, warning that under-declaration through SAS would no longer be tolerated.
Officials were also asked to verify whether vacant properties being used for non-residential purposes, including private parking, were paying taxes under the correct commercial category. Additionally, teams were instructed to cross-check approved building plans, particularly the declared use of ground floors, and compare them with on-ground usage.
Sources indicated that the Margosa Road inspection is part of a larger compliance strategy, and that similar drives are likely to be rolled out across other wards and city corporations under the GBA umbrella.
Joint Commissioner Sangappa, Revenue Officer M. Srinivasa, Assistant Revenue Officers Raj Kumar and Sunanda, along with other revenue officials, were present during the inspection.
Officials cautioned that property owners attempting to “cheat the civic agency” should be prepared for enforcement action, as the focus is now firmly on protecting public revenue and ensuring fairness for honest taxpayers.
ಇದನ್ನೂ ಓದಿ: ಸ್ವಂತ ಬಳಕೆ ಹೇಳಿ ಬಾಡಿಗೆ, ಪಾರ್ಕಿಂಗ್ ಮೂಲಕ ವ್ಯಾಪಾರ: ಪಶ್ಚಿಮ ಬೆಂಗಳೂರಿನಲ್ಲಿ ತೆರಿಗೆ ವಂಚನೆ ಪತ್ತೆ
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