Jammu lawyers to stay away from courts today against imposition of property tax

Jammu, Feb 23 The Jammu chapter of the J&K High Court Bar Association has announced a day's suspension of work on Thursday against the imposition of property tax in the union territory.

Calling the decision of the Lt Governor-led administration as "anti-people" and "tax terrorism", M.K. Bhardwaj, president of the Jammu chapter, said: "We strongly condemn imposition of property tax on the people, who are reeling under financial distress owing to wrong policies of this administration. We have an anti-encroachment drive where the people in possession of land for over decades are deprived of their land.

"Such important decisions should have been left for an elected government rather than by the Lt governor administration. The government should immediately restore statehood and hold assembly elections."

The union territory government had recently announced imposition of urban property tax which will come into effect from April 1.

All political parties, with the exception of the BJP, have opposed the imposition.