My friend’s son rented out his premises to a public sector bank in 1997 for 10 years. One of the conditions in lease agreement was that bank will bear property tax of Municipal Corporation. He started submitting annual demand notices of property tax to the bank with a request to pay the amount to Corporation from 1997. Bank did not pay. Hence from 2003 he started writing to the bank branch and higher offices. He with his father frequently met senior officers of bank for payment. Bank did not pay and maintained deafening silence. Bank vacated the premises in 2007 without paying property tax.

My help was sought for RTI intervention in Feb 2011. 4 RTI applications, one first appeal and one consumer notice for RTI were filed. In the meanwhile, in July 2011 Municipal Corporation started movement of sealing various premises for recovery of taxes. Bank was also threatened that such delay of nearly 12 years would be inferred as deemed corruption since delay is one of the main tools for corruption and that matter would be referred to Central Vigilance Commission. We had ample documentary evidence of dilatory tactics by bank officers. Bank’s Asstt Gen Manager requested him not to scale up the matter and requested to withdraw RTI applications. He promised that taxes will be paid immediately on receipt of sanction from Ahmedabd. Papers started moving from Junagadh to Vadodara to Ahmedabad. We did not withdraw RTIs.

Ultimately in first week of Oct 2011 bank paid nearly Rs.270000/- [Rs. Two lakhs seventy thousand only] towards property tax with interest and penalties etc. RTI does work.

14102011