In a bid to boost revenue, the Bengaluru City Central Corporation has launched an intensive crackdown on property tax violators of commercial establishments.
The initiative aims to generate approximately ₹6 crore to ₹8 crore in revenue from each commercial hub under its jurisdiction.
The central corporation, which also includes the Central Business District (CBD), comprises several major commercial hubs, and with them, numerous violators. A significant number of establishments have been found declaring false details under the Self Assessment System (SAS) to evade tax.
Inspections
Over the past few days, several teams led by revenue officers inspected commercial establishments in Shanthinagar, Indiranagar, Domlur, and M.G. Road and identified nearly 21 defaulters who would now have to pay the tax amount they have evaded.
Senior officers told The Hindu that arrears would also be calculated and fines would be imposed.
A senior corporation official said that one of the most common violations is the misrepresentation of usage status. “Owners declare false details of rented space for commercial usage and residential usage. Since its SAS, they declare lower tax liability and pay less tax to the civic body,” the officer said.
For instance, a commercial building with a total area of 6,000 sq ft may declare only 3,000 sq ft as rented and the rest as self-occupied, even though 5,000 sq ft is actually rented out. Tax for commercial buildings, which is pricey, is then paid only for the declared 3,000 sq ft.
Although such violations should be identified by the civic body’s revenue officers, officials often accept bribes from violators and let them off, resulting in losses for the corporation.
Twenty teams formed
To plug this gap, the corporation has formed 20 teams for the ongoing drive. These teams comprise officers from different wards to ensure they are unfamiliar with property owners and cannot be influenced or bribed.
The corporation oversees more than five commercial-heavy areas, including the CBD, Chikpete, Indiranagar, and Commercial Street. In each hub, officials have prepared a list of 100 major properties and are conducting inspections.
If violations are detected, a show-cause notice will be issued to property owners. Owners may appeal the notice, or if they agree with the findings, pay the fines and revise their declarations.
Future plans
A senior official told The Hindu that the current drive focuses only on commercial establishments, as fines for residential buildings would be lower. However, the corporation may take up residential property verification in the future.
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Published – December 01, 2025 09:41 pm IST
