The Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) will publish on its website the dates of hearings to be conducted by its departments so that contesting parties get to know in advance the day and time when they have to appear.
Hearings are held if there are disputes about tax claims or a complaint of illegal construction, among other issues.
Property owners are heard if they challenge the quantum of property tax claimed by the KMC; if someone seeks relaxation on pending tax amount; and if someone is found to have obtained a building permit by giving false information.
Besides, there are tribunals that hear appeals from parties unhappy with orders issued by the hearing officers.
Mayor Firhad Hakim, who announced the plan to publish the details about upcoming hearings, said orders issued by the hearing officers after listening to the parties will also be available on the website.
“We will publish the date and time of hearings on our website. Once a hearing officer gives the date of hearing, we will post the date on our website so that parties involved in the matter know in advance,” Hakim said.
“We will also post on the website orders issued by the hearing officers,” he said.
A KMC official said there have been instances when a party has complained that they did not receive a notice and missed the hearing.
Officials said the letter may not have reached the party or the person may not have been at home when the postman went to deliver the letter.
“If the date and time are available on the website, it will be more transparent. All parties can check the website to know when they have to appear to present their case,” said a senior official.
The hearings officers are not KMC employees but are appointed only to conduct the hearings.
There are such hearing officers appointed by the building department as well as the assessment department, which determines and collects property tax.
“These are the two departments with the maximum number of disputes. Hearing officers associated with building departments hear complainants and accused parties before deciding whether an illegal construction should be pulled down or retained,” said an official.
If the structure is retained, the person has to pay a hefty amount as penalty.
Similarly, there are hearing officers associated with the assessment department.
“There are people who challenge the annual valuation of a property fixed by the KMC. The property tax is determined based on the annual valuation,” said an official.
KMC sources said the website will also notify changes in dates of hearings, if any.