BHOPAL: A year later after the municipal boy imposed entertainment tax on the city theaters and multiplexes, not a single penny has come into its kitty in this connection.
Taking a note of the same, the Bhopal municipal corporation (BMC) is now mulling over sending notices to theater owbers for their failure to pay the tax levied by it. Cine hall owners’ association which continues to be up in arm against the decision, too are all set to challenge the notice.
Municipal body in its council meet last September had proposed to levy 15 per cent tax on the 10 single screen theaters and five multiplexes in the state capital.
The theater owners had opposed the move refusing to pay double tax- GST as well as the 10-15 % tax levied by the municipal body. Opposing the ‘double taxation’ the theaters’ owners had then held a strike that lasted over a month.
All cinema theaters remained shut until the government intervened and the decision was swept under the carpet. BMC now is adamant to recover tax at any cost and for the same has summoned the list of theaters.
BMC additional commissioner Ranveer Singh, however said that tax would be recovered from the theater owners. “The tax is legitimate and I will send reminder to zonal officers to inform me about the entertainment tax on the theaters in their respective zones and wards,” said Singh.
Azeezuddin, the president of theater owners association says that they continue to demand a rollback of the decision of levying new tax. The chief minister has assured to remain positive, he added. “If the BMC sends us any notice over tax, we will challenge it”, said Azeezuddin.
