Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation uploads, then deletes holding tax defaulter list; action sparks controversy

Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) has found itself in the midst of a controversy after posting a list of holding tax defaulters on social media, only to delete it shortly afterward. However, this sudden removal has raised suspicions about the reasons behind the move.

During a press meet on March 12, BMC Mayor Sulochana Das clarified that the uploaded list was one week old and was mistakenly shared. However, questions remain as to why an updated list has not yet been uploaded. Furthermore, concerns have been raised regarding the accountability of those responsible for the erroneous upload.

The original post, made on March 11, mentioned the name of the defaulters. From the North, South-East, and South-West zones, a total of 31 institutions and individuals were mentioned, who had outstanding holding tax dues exceeding Rs 1 crore and between Rs 50 lakh to Rs 1 crore. The total outstanding amount was over Rs 45 crore.

In the list of those with dues exceeding Rs 1 crore, six names were from the North Zone, including S.J. Charitable Trust, Aditya Birla Fashion & Retail, and Shree Bharat Motors. Meanwhile, five names each were listed from the South-East and South-West zones.

Similarly, in the category of dues between Rs 50 lakh and Rs 1 crore, there were seven names from the North Zone, three from the South-East Zone, and five from the South-West Zone.

Not just on social media, the BMC public relations officer had also shared this information on media groups. However, surprisingly, after extensive coverage and publication by multiple media houses, BMC suddenly made a U-turn on the matter.

Adding to the confusion, the Mayor stated that some institutions had paid their dues partially or promised to clear the remaining balance by the end of March. However, questions remain on whether this partial payment option is available to all taxpayers or just select organizations.

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What BMC Mayor Had Said

“The information which was shared yesterday, it was uploaded mistakenly. This was one week old data. Some organizations that have more than Rs 1 crore due, have made some payment. Those who have paid half or one-third of the dues, have said that they will pay the rest amount within 8-10 days. We will upload the latest data today,” BMC Mayor Sulochana Das had said on March 12.

Citizens Raise Question

Meanwhile, citizens and experts are now demanding transparency from BMC. If the original list was outdated, why has a corrected version not been released yet? Was the deletion a mere mistake or a result of influence from major defaulters? Also, what action, if any, has been taken against the officials responsible for this blunder?

“The Odisha government should interfere in the matter and strengthen the municipal corporation so that they can collect the tax,” said Piyush Rout, an urban planner.

With no further clarification from BMC yet, the holding tax issue continues to raise doubts and concerns among the public.