Jayalalithaa's Hyderabad Bungalow Sealed Over Rs 1.5 Crore Unpaid Property Tax

Officials in Hyderabad have sealed a house of former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa over pending property tax of about Rs 1.5 crore. The dues have reportedly been pending for several years.

According to the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) officials, numerous notices were issued to legal heirs of Jayalalithaa, who died in 2016, asking them to clear the tax amount. However, there was no response.

After the deadline ended on Tuesday, they visited the property and sealed it.

Officials said the Srinagar Colony property has been in default since 2017, and fresh notices were again issued in February.

Sources said the house had earlier been leased to businessman Vijay Mallya. Officials believe the tax arrears started building up during that period.

GHMC Commissioner RV Karnan said the civic body had launched a drive against all major property tax defaulters before March 31.

"We have served notices to all property tax defaulters to clear their dues before March 31. In this process, notices were also served to the property in the name of J Jayalalithaa's legal heirs. There is a pending due of Rs 1.5 crore. We have acted against all those defaulting on property tax under GHMC," he said.

The action is part of a larger drive being taken up by GHMC across Hyderabad. Civic officials said more than 100 large residential and commercial properties have been sealed in recent weeks for not paying property tax.

Among them are hotels, shopping complexes, office buildings and educational institutions with dues running into crores of rupees. In several cases, owners cleared the dues soon after their properties were sealed.

Officials said property tax arrears within GHMC limits have crossed Rs 1,400 crore and are spread across nearly 3.5 lakh properties.

Across GHMC and other municipal bodies around Hyderabad, the total pending amount is estimated to be more than Rs 3,000 crore.

The GHMC is also offering a one-time settlement scheme. Under this, owners can get a waiver on the interest amount if they pay the full tax before the deadline. Officials said the drive will continue until all major dues are cleared.