Bidhannagar Municipality is getting down to frame a new property tax structure, replacing the one scrapped by the Supreme Court about six months ago. The state government has issued a notification asking the municipality to frame a new tax structure as soon as possible.

The municipality hasn't been able to collect property tax since the earlier structure was scrapped, seriously depleting its revenues. Now, municipality chairman Biswajiban Majumder said they would sit down with Central Valuation Board (CVB) to discuss ways to frame the new tax structure.

"The notification has been issued. We expect to start collecting taxes within one and a half months after framing the new structure in consultation with CVB officials," Majumder said. The new structure will be framed according to the recently passed Central Valuation Board (Amendment) Act, 2007.

However, Bidhannagar Welfare Association will challenge the amended act, alleging that the state government violated the Supreme Court verdict while drafting the legislation. "Any tax structure based on this Act will again be highly discriminatory. We will soon hold meetings with our block committees and move Calcutta High Court," said association secretary Basab Aich.

Earlier, Bidhannagar Municipality and Bidhannagar Welfare Association had locked horns when the civic body introduced a new tax structure based on the West Bengal Central Valuation Board's assessments from 2006. The Supreme Court struck down this tax structure in the middle of this year, terming it arbitrary and unconstitutional.