MBMC plan to e-auction seized assets may land bidders in legal soup

Alarmed over the extremely slow pace of property tax collections, the Mira Bhayandar Municipal Corporation (MBMC) has finally embarked on an aggressive recovery drive in the twin-city and in a desperate bid to generate more revenue, the tax department is all set to auction properties whose owners owe a large amount in property tax to the civic body.

The move assumes significance as the MBMC is struggling to keep up with their expenses while dealing with a financial crunch.

According to officials, an eauction platform has been linked to MBMC’s official website (www.mbmc.gov.in) to invite electronic bids on the live portal for 39 listed properties on 6th March for one and half hours between 12 to 1:30 pm.

However, in an apparent blunder, the tax officials have failed to verify additional burdens and dues including society bills, power bills saddled on such properties before attaching them. And most importantly failed to confirm if the attached property is already mortgaged to some other financial institution.

Thus putting successful bidders at risk of getting entangled into legal complications. Admitting to the lapse, Assistant Municipal Commissioner Swati Deshpande said, “We will soon issue a corrigendum appealing any claimants related to the said properties to get in touch with the tax department, so as to ensure that the e-auction process goes ahead smoothly.” MBMC’s similar attempt to auction 51 confiscated properties had met with a cold shoulder response as not a single bidder had showed interest in buying them.

In an apparent blunder, tax officials have failed to verify additional burdens and dues including society bills, power bills saddled on such properties before attaching them