The High Court of Karnataka on Thursday gave a week to officials of the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahnagara Palike (BBMP) to re-examine the issue of not granting legally permissible exemptions in payment of property tax to a city school. Aradhana School, run by the Sisters of Precious Blood, has been described by the civic body as engaged in “commercial activities” as it offers karate and dance courses to its students.
Justice Vineet Kothari passed the order after making his displeasure known to BBMP Commissioner N. Manjunath Prasad, who was present in court, over the manner in which BBMP officials had dealt with the issue of property tax on a charitable institution.
After assistant revenue officer N. Prakash replied to the court’s query that karate and dance classes were offered to school students, the judge said: “I was really disturbed by the orders of the BBMP on the school. It shocks the conscience of a citizen...”
He asked if there was any course for which no service charge was collected in schools nowadays, before granting the civic body one week to reassess the issue.
