Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) on Tuesday clarified that it had written letters to the Union Minister of Education and the University Grants Commission to settle the issue of payment of property tax dues of the Aligarh Nagar Nigam.
The municipal corporation had seized some accounts of the University on Monday over nonpayment of property tax of over ₹14 crore.
Vinay Kumar Rai, Nigam’s Chief Taxation Officer, told reporters that the body had given many opportunities to the University to pay the dues. “An amount of ₹14.83 crore is due from the University. After giving them many chances, including issuing a notice of demand and personal contact, we have attached the accounts of AMU in the State Bank of India, because the financial interests of the Corporation were getting affected,” he said.
Week’s time given
A week has been given to AMU to deposit the amount but if it still fails, the amount in the account will be transferred to the Corporation, Mr. Rai said.
In an official release, AMU pointed out that the matter was sub judice and pending in the Allahabad High Court and a court of small causes was also hearing AMU’s plea.
The University, the release said, had been paying house tax for residential areas, and it got exemption for the classrooms, laboratories and libraries from the Aligarh Municipal Council. In 2006, when the Aligarh Nagar Nigam came into being, it reversed the decision and the University approached the High Court.
AMU spokesperson Shafey Kidwai said the University had an outstanding amount of over ₹9 crore against the Nigam as it has not paid electricity consumption charges for its tubewells. He added Banaras Hindu University and some other central institutions also got house tax exemption from the court and no tax was levied on classrooms, etc.
