MCD meeting: AAP promises property tax waivers, BJP calls it ‘deception’

New Delhi

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Monday said it will introduce a series of proposals on property tax waivers in the upcoming House of councillors meeting scheduled for Tuesday, a day after it announced that it would introduce a proposal to regularise services of 12,000 contractual MCD (Municipal Corporation of Delhi) workers. The BJP termed the announcement a “deception”, alleging no “prior approval” was taken from the departments concerned or the necessary committees.

Addressing a joint press conference, mayor Mahesh Kumar, and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh and MCD in-charge Durgesh Kumar said the party plans to introduce zero tax for properties smaller than 100 square-yard area, 50% waiver for properties having an area of 100-500 sq yards and waiver of all dues from previous years on payment of 2024-25 taxes.

Singh said that commercial properties in rehabilitation areas will also benefit, and residents of 1,300 housing apartment complexes, who previously did not receive any concession, will now get a 25% tax rebate.

The AAP has lost its majority in the MCD due to a series of defections to the BJP following the polls and is a second favourite for the April polls, but it has decided to ramp up the pressure on the BJP by proposing a series of moves aimed at appeasing different sections of society.

An MCD official said: “The schedule of taxes for the next financial year has already been passed in the budget meeting on February 13. If the party brings a private member resolution, it would be sent to executive wing for study and it may or may not be accepted. The AAP has also lost majority in the House and the party might be bringing these proposal to spoil things for the BJP. The BJP would find it hard to oppose the move publicly while AAP on its own does not have numbers.”

BJP spokesperson Praveen Shankar Kapoor said: “AAP leaders are fully aware that today’s announcements on house tax are a mere illusion because such declarations require prior approval from the Delhi Finance Commission, the Municipal Valuation Committee and the corporation’s Standing Committee — none of which are currently constituted.”

Mayor Khinchi said this move aligns with AAP’s commitment to public welfare. “What AAP promised, we have delivered. We have already confirmed 12,000 MCD workers as permanent employees, and we will officially implement this decision in the upcoming MCD House meeting on the February 25,” he said.