A house belonging to the late J. Jayalalithaa has been sealed by the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) due to outstanding property tax dues that have accumulated since 2017. The total amount owed reached a staggering ₹1.6 crore before any waivers were applied, but after adjustments, the payable amount was reduced to approximately ₹83 lakh.
This property, categorized as ‘Commercial’, was rented by the controversial businessman Vijay Mallya, yet it remains registered under Jayalalithaa’s name in GHMC records. The heirs of Jayalalithaa were declared her legal successors by the Madras High Court in May 2020, following her death without a will.
Despite the legal recognition of her heirs, the GHMC has issued a ‘Red Notice’ due to the non-payment of dues. Currently, the outstanding amount stands at ₹82.91 lakh, following rebates under the One-Time Settlement scheme, which offers a significant 90% waiver on accumulated interest for property tax arrears.
The GHMC has made repeated attempts to recover the dues, but no payments have been made, prompting the decision to keep the property under its custody until the outstanding dues are cleared. This situation underscores the ongoing challenges faced by local authorities in enforcing tax compliance, particularly in cases involving high-profile properties.
As the saga continues, observers are left wondering whether the heirs will step forward to settle the debts or if further legal complications will arise. Details remain unconfirmed regarding the heirs’ intentions to address the outstanding dues, leaving the future of the property in limbo.
