I purchased a house in DEC 1982. I applied for mutation in 1984. I received tax bill in my name after mutation from the year 1987-88.I paid all regularly. Now I wanted to obtain a house tax clearance certificate from Kolkata Municipality (Santoshpur). Municipality asked me to produce all tax deposit receipts with effect from the year 84-85. Old documents for the year 1984-85 to 1986-87 are not available with me because those were never sent in my name in my address.

I being wife a defence personal used to stay away with my husband. My mother who is no more(died in 2002) used to look after these matters. Hence I am not in picture if those tax has been paid or not?

Municipality is showing supplementary tax bills out standing from 1996-1997 for which no bill was ever presented to me.

Municipality never sent any reminder for any outstanding tax for the period of 1984-85 to 1986-87 or for supplementary bills from 1996-97 to 2002-03. Municipality wants me to pay all taxes with penalty afresh which comes to appx Rs 90000/-.

I seek clarification on the following: -

1)How long one needs to preserve the Municipality house tax receipts? Can any authority ask for such old receipts or claim for such old bills suddenly saying it is outstanding?

2)Is Municipality not required to send reminder, if any individual does not pay or by mistake payment is not recorded by the municipality staff?

(Mrs.Rita Bakshi).