I acquired a property at Secunderabad( a 3bhk flat). It was newly constructed and taken possession in Nov 2000.
I paid the requisite property fees and then applied for exemption as per existing rule being then a serving Army perosnnel. It was approved . My flat was exempted from paying house tax since 2003. I was told that the communication to the effect will be sent by post. It did not. Due to exigencies of service i could not make too many visits to expedite the matter. The officials I met showed me display on the computer at the reception that exemption of tax for my flat has since been effected but the certificate if not delivered will be despatched. I did not bother much as I was not made to pay any taxes since 2003.
Meanwhile in 2007 I was posted to this station as a last leg posting. From then on I pressed for the exemption certificate from the municipality officials.They assured me time and again but did not deliver. In the 2008 somebody advised me to apply for the same under the provision of RTI aCT 2005. I did. A letter from the PIO( the Dy Commissioner of GHMC ( Malkajgiri Circle ) replied stating that my flat alongwith some other flts occupied by armed forces personnel are in fact exempted from paying house taxes. The reply is held with me but still I was not issued with the Exemtion certifiacte depite my several visits to the concerned officials including the Manager and the Dy Commissioner.
Last week I needed to register a memorandum for deposit deed for the same flat to obtain student loan for my daughter. The Sub Register asked for the tax exception certicate to proceed further.I could not submit . I was advised to obtain the certifiacet from the Malkajgiri municipality office. I was not provided with the certificate.afetr visiting almost all officials in the channel. At long last I was informed that My flat is not in the exemption list , in fact there is a due for the past 2008-09 and 2011-12 . This info was made available from the computer at the reception centre where I was always shown tax due Zero against my flat i.e 33-70/1/401.
It was my turn to be surprised. I met the concerbed tax collector who claimed to be newest one for my area for the past 4 days only. He checked the computer printed list ( at his disposal listing all property owners for house No starting with 31 & 33) against the PTIN No 1170809287 provided by the man at the reception. My PTIN No was not found in that master list. I was referred to Madam Padmaja who referred me to the same manager who was denying me the exemption cert for the past two years. I was asked to produce the exemption cert instaed or to pay the dues as is being shown in the computer. He did nor bother to check why my details is missing from the master list and who has ordered inserting the deatils for the period 2008-09 and 2011-12 only.
Left with no alternatives I met the Dy Commissioner again and briefed him about the case and requested him to corrective action. I was once again referred back to the manager who is of the view that exemption as noted in the RTI Reply by the erstwhile Dy Commissioner( Mr Samson) was for a block and not specifically for my flat. It was no use to argue the case with him as he was the person who is responsible for denying me a copy of the exemtion cert.
The SRO listened to my feedback and allow register of my memorandum on extreme compasionate ground.
Now how to deal with the GHMC and undo the wrongdoing of the officials there?
