HC notice on plea challenging commercial property tax on lawyers’ offices
New Delhi: The Delhi High Court has issued notice on a petition filed by the Delhi High Court Bar Association (DHCBA) challenging the classification of the offices of the lawyers under the commercial property ambit for the assessment of property tax.
A division bench of the High Court presided by Chief Justice D.N. Patel and Justice Prateek Jalan sought a response from all the respondents including East, South and North Delhi Municipal Corporation over the petition filed by DHCBA through its president and senior advocate Mohit Mathur and Secretary Abhijat.
The plea has sought quashing of the order of November 29, 2018 passed by the South Delhi Municipal Corporation relating to self-assessment of property tax returns of lawyers offices under Sections 123-A and 123-B of the Delhi Municipal Corporation (DMC) Act.
The petition filed by advocate Nikhil Mehta said that the order was illegal and arbitrary and added that treating the legal profession as part of commercial activity is illegal, arbitrary and contrary to the law.
The court will next hear the matter on November 20.