Taj Palace, Delhi Golf Club on tax defaulter list
At least 11 five-star hotels in the national capital, including Taj Palace and Claridges, are on the tax defaulter list of New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) with their total dues amounting to ~320 crore. The civic body, in a report prepared at the end of 2016-17 financial year, has identified these hotels among 166 alleged defaulters, which have dues pending above ~10 lakh for the past four years.
However, according to NDMC officials, all the hotels have moved court challenging the tax assessment and any further action by the civic body cannot be taken since the matter is sub-judice.
“On the defaulter list are hotels like Taj Palace (~42 crore), The Leela (~18 crore), Claridges (~4 crore), the highest being Delhi Golf Club which owes NDMC ~700 crore,” said a senior NDMC official from the taxation department.
According to the process, the properties are issued notices to clear the dues. If they fail to do so, NDMC can attach their assets. However, in this case, the matter is in court, the official said. Meanwhile, the spokespersons at Taj Palace and Claridges denied any pending dues, saying their payments till date have been made. A Delhi Golf Club official said there was a “huge issue” with the tax assessment leading to the amount in hundreds of crores. “We have sought a resassessment and the matter is pending in court,” the official said. Among others, on the defaulter list are Hotel Samrat (~31 cr), ITC Maurya Sheraton (~2 cr), Ashok Yatri Niwas (~10 cr), Janpath (~26 cr), Imperial (~55 cr), The Park (~18 cr) and Hotel Ambassador (~12 crore).