Kolkata: Following the delimitation exercise, the assessee numbers of more than 9 lakh property taxpayers in Kolkata will change as the ward numbers to which the assessee numbers are linked are undergoing a major rejig following the addition of 65 new wards. However, civic officials have assured citizens that the transition will be smooth and that the civic body will assign new assessee numbers when the tax bills are generated next March-April.However, a KMC revenue department official conceded that the change in assessee numbers might create some problems for the property taxpayers who need adjustments or who have gone to assessment tribunals challenging the civic body’s decision to hike tax rates.According to a KMC official, who was a member of the Central Delimitation Committee that drafted the delimitation proposal, the civic body is now waiting for the delimitation bill to be passed at a special session at the state assembly. “Once the bill is passed in the assembly, the state UDMA department will issue a notification. After that, we will need to take care of a change in the assessee numbers,” said the civic official.KMC authorities are also inviting suggestions from the citizens with regard to the rejig in ward numbers after the completion of the delimitation process. “We knew that the task of delimitation was not easy considering the deadline.We missed the first deadline as we had to adopt some changes to the draft delimitation list by July end. Even then we don’t claim it is foolproof. Let the citizens point out any areas where we need rectification. We will accept such suggestions,” said the KMC official.The KMC brass is also ‘anxiously’ waiting to get feedback from the state govt on the proposed delimitation. “We have tweaked the delimitation process once following some advice from the state. Let us see if the state urban development and municipal affairs department suggest something more after the bill is passed in the assembly,” said a KMC official.(With inputs from Sarthak Ganguly)
