Kolkata Corporation Resumes Processing of Property Tax Exemptions for Senior Taxpayers

State Bureau, Kolkata: The Kolkata Municipal Corporation has resumed the process of granting special exemption in property tax to senior taxpayers stuck during the Assembly elections from the first week of September. More than 300 applications were pending since the end of March as the Model Code of Conduct was in force at the time of the elections. These include applications for renewal of exemption after completion of a period of three years with a fresh application. Corporation officials differed on granting administrative approval for this exemption during the elections. One side said that this is a regular exemption granted every year under the law, while the other side stated the need for caution in granting approval during the election process. After the change of power in the state, the elected board of the corporation was also dissolved and Smita Pandey was made the administrator. Tax department officials after discussion with them resumed the process of granting exemption by examining the pending applications. Taxpayers aged 60 years and above get a special 10% exemption in property tax exemption after completion of three years with a fresh application. The renewal of exemption is pending for three consecutive years after which the corporation gets approval.