Ludhiana: 39 hotels told to submit property tax returns filed since 2013

After tightening the noose on hospitals for tax evasion, the Ludhiana municipal corporation (MC) has turned its attention towards hotels in the city.

MC recently inspected 39 hotels under Zone D and directed owners to submit property tax returns filed since 2013-2014. Most of these hotels are in Jawahar Nagar camp area near the bus stand.

The authorities will cross check details of the covered area of the hotel premises shared by the owners and whether the tax returns have been filed under commercial category.

An MC official said that property tax is paid on self-assessment basis and calculated as per the covered area. He added that to evade tax, some building owners declare lesser covered area. Some owners also file returns under the residential category, tax rates of which are lower than commercial category, the official said.

MC zonal commissioner Jasdev Sekhon stated that 100% penalty will be imposed on owners who are found guilty of tax evasion.

The remaining hotels falling under Zone D will also be checked in the coming time and similar action will be taken against defaulters, added Sekhon.

Earlier, the civic body had cross-checked tax returns of over 150 hospitals in the city, and caught around two dozen owners for tax evasion. A penalty (including tax evaded and 100% penalty) of over ₹80 lakh had been imposed.