PCMC to record unpaid taxes on share certificates

The Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) is taking new steps to recover unpaid property taxes. Starting Tuesday, they will order housing societies to note any outstanding tax amounts on the share certificates of flat owners who owe money. This decision has raised concerns among many society members and activists. PCMC officials report that nearly 78,000 flat owners owe a total of ₹180 crore. Despite multiple reminders, many have not paid their taxes. As a result, the municipal corporation plans to implement stricter measures. Flat owners who do not settle their dues may face restrictions, including being barred from voting or running in society elections. Housing societies provide share certificates to their members as proof of ownership. The PCMC will ask society leaders to include delinquent tax amounts on these certificates. This change will make it harder for owners in debt to sell their flats unless they clear their taxes. Also, societies will not issue a No Objection Certificate (NOC) for property transfers if taxes are unpaid. Avinash Shinde from PCMC mentioned that anyone who does not pay their taxes by December 2024 will incur a two percent penalty. The municipal corporation has already started cutting water connections for some homeowners with outstanding dues. However, they cannot take similar measures against flat owners in cooperative societies. Activists have criticized this approach, claiming that PCMC does not have the legal right to impose such rules on housing societies. They argue that the corporation should instead focus on using its power to seal and auction properties of those in default. Others also questioned the effectiveness of excluding tax defaulters from society elections. Despite the criticism, PCMC officials assert that they are trying multiple methods to encourage property owners to pay their taxes. The department has already seized a number of properties due to unpaid taxes and is urging residents to clear their debts before facing further penalties or restrictions.