BBMP Property tax payment cycle is underway. Here’s a guide that explains the process and lists the problems, along with the changes introduced this year.
Note: This article was originally published on April 18th, and has been updated on May 6 2016, to reflect the BBMP’s rollback of zonal classification.
Finally BBMP has fixed the system to file property tax. This year there are changes:
1. Change in tariff
2. Change in zonal classifications (Rolled back on Apr 28th)
The first one is a regular hike, which had to be done after expiry of every BLOCK period of FIVE years. There is also a demand to make it THREE years. However the actual hike is coming after a period of EIGHT years and the owners have got the benefit of paying OLD tax from 2013-14 to 2015-16.
This year no forms are being sold by BBMP. Only ONLINE updation of the declaration by the tax payer. The tax payer has the option of taking a printout and keeping it in his / her file for future reference OR maintain an E-COPY.
After a period of ELEVEN days after the new financial year began, BBMP has uploaded / made provision to make payment of property tax, but has NOT clarified as to whether it is FLAW FREE. So it is the Damascus Sword situation for the public, who attempt to pay tax.
Step-by-step calculation and payment of property tax
1. Keep your copy of returns submitted for the year 2008-09 handy.
2. Log on to the website http://bbmptax.karnataka.gov.in and click on either the moving highlighted part of “PROPERTY TAX 2016-17 PAY BEFORE APRIL TO AVAIL 5% DISCOUNT” or “Property tax 2016-17” on the right hand side.
3. You will be taken to a page with heading PROPERTY TAX 2016-17. Here click on “BBMP Property Tax 2016-17” in bold blue letters.
4. Before clicking on the bold blue letters, open tabs for the following :
- Depreciation Table: Click here
- How to file PT form: Click here
5. You will be taken to the page “SAMPANMOOLA, BBMP property tax interface”. Here click on “Property tax filing and payment box”.
6. That will lead you to the page “PROPERTY TAX SYSTEM”. Scroll down and in the FOUR columns given (Base Application no. / Renewal Application no. / PID no. / New PID no.), fill any one and click the button on the right. In the below box the owner’s name, ward number etc will appear. (There are chances of multiple property details appearing) Click on your correct property and it will get highlighted. Then click at the bottom “Continue”.
7. Now you have reached the application form. The number of the form appears in bright red, which please make a note without fail. Check for the details appearing — the name of the owner, occupation, address, contact details and rectify any changes / mistakes.
8. This section is not applicable anymore for this year (refer Point 4 above for clarification) As you scroll below, you will come to the Zonal classification of 2008-09, which is already ticked. Move down to Zonal classification of 2016-17 and click your respective zone after referring to the table which you have already opened in another tab. You have to compulsorily tick the “CAP on ZONE applied”.
9. Check for the details of the measurements, plinth and built-up area, no. of floors etc. and if any corrections / mistakes appear, alter them with proper figures. Click “Save & go to step two”.
10. This will lead you to the details of usage, construction etc. If any changes are there, make them by clicking on ‘DELETE’ provision and enter the correct figures.
10a. For vacant lands, in column 7, select XIII for vacant land. Then enter land area under extent of built up area. It’s not really built up area, but BBMP website works that way.
Select XIII for vacant land in column 7. Screenshot taken from property tax payment website.
Scroll down by checking all the details and click “Save & go to step 3”.
11. You have reached the auto calculated sheet of property tax. Check for the accuracy and enter advance payment, if any. Click on the ‘DECLARATION’ BOX. The final stage is the option of ‘Challan Payment’ OR ‘Online payment’.
12. Click according to your choice, to pay at help centres / banks / Bangalore One counters – Challan Payment. (At present only Canara Bank is the option available). To pay by card – Online payment
13. If opted for ‘Challan Payment’, or OFFLINE PAYMENT, a filled challan with a validity of 10 days is generated and gets downloaded into your system in PDF format. You have to take a printout of the same and pay at any of the designated branches of the Canara Bank. Enter the particulars in Cash deposit form of Canara Bank (Name, mobile number, Deposit to account of BBMP commissioner) and submit it to clerk along with BBMP challan. Get the sealed acknowledgement and visit Canara Bank after 3-4 days to get the BBMP receipt.
14. If opted for ‘ONLINE PAYMENT’, you have to continue from “PAYMENT SCREEN” and complete the transaction as per guidelines.
15. In both the cases, receipt will be issued / generated, only after the amount gets transferred to BBMP account.
PLEASE NOTE :
a. The form filling site is time-bound and if delayed, it will ask you to get back to home and to start afresh.
b. It is advisable to provide your mobile number, as SMS is automatically sent by BBMP, regarding the application number, base application no., PID / New PID / Khatha no. based on the type of your first (2008-09) application, the moment it is completed and a second SMS the moment the challan is generated consisting of the application no., base application no., total amount of tax to be paid, pay by date as soon as it is generated.
c. If any doubt arises, refer to “How to fill PT form” from the already opened tab.
Now, one can sit and relax till NEXT year, to pay the same quantum of tax.
Process not fully problem-free
The process is not problem-free yet. Here are the common problems faced by users (on April 18, 2016)
- One cannot look at the tax paid for 2015-16 or previous years anywhere in the website.
- Property tax calculator does not work.
- Problems in calculating car parking area
- The BBMP tax payment interface does not work well with Internet Explorer browser, while it works fine on FireFox and Chrome browsers.
- No arrangement for those who are computer-illiterate or don’t have computers. They will have to go to Bangalore One centres or Citizen Centres to get the thing done and get the challan, and pay it in the bank.
- The challan generated gives a deadline of 10 days. There is no clarity over what happens if it is not paid in 10 days.
- Errors in the address field, with flat numbers and flat names etc not displaying for some taxpayers.
- More errors: Read this article.
Update May 6th:
The zonal change introduced for this year has been cancelled by the BBMP. Hence only 25% hike is applicable. For those who have paid the higher amount, please keep your receipts safe. BBMP has promised to adjust the difference in the next cycle’s payments.
FYI: How the zonal change would have worked:
The zonal is an occasional change depending upon the development of different areas from LOW to HIGH or even VICE-VERSA.
BBMP notification had said that if an area has been classified from a higher zone to a lower zone, the property tax has to be paid as per the PREVIOUS year’s zone with NEW tariff whereas, if the area has moved from a lower to higher zone, irrespective of the number of zones it has raised, the tax has to be paid for the NEXT HIGHER ZONE from the zone that the area was last in.
To decode this, if there is more than one jump in the current year zonal classification when compared to the base year which is mentioned in 5a(i) and 5b(ii) sections, then the jump shall be restricted to next higher zonal classification only.
For example: if the zonal classification in the base year application is say “E”, and now as per the new notification, property is in zone “C”, then it has to be restricted to the immediate next higher zone i.e to zone “D” only.
Suppose your property is sliding down from higher zone to lower zone, it has to be retained in the same zonal classification as it exists in the base year application.
For example: If the property was in zone “D” in the base year application, but now it has slid down to zone “E”, it has to be retained in zone “D” only.