Bhatkal: In an incident that may shock many, it has been discovered that the Bhatkal Town Municipal Council has maintained no record of taxes paid by citizens in the last few years. What is more baffling is that the officials are demanding that citizens pay the taxes of last 3-4 years once more. 

The incident came to light when several residents started complaining that despite having paid taxes regularly, the officials at the Municipal Council were claiming that no tax was paid by them and started to demand that the taxes should be paid again. Hearing this, several citizens came up with the receipts of the taxes they had paid after which the officials were left red faced. However, sources say that they have started to vent their ire on citizens who have misplaced their tax receipts and are demanding that they re-pay their taxes. "Many people pay the tax and do not save the receipt thinking that they can access the records at the municipality. This has been a great shock to them." a citizen said. 

Municipality staff is very rude to us: citizens

Speaking to SahilOnline, several citizens have complained about the unruly behavior and the disrespectful way the municipality staff treats them when they visit their offices to inquire about the tax. "They talk as if it's family right to be seated behind that desk and as if we are their servants. They always speak in affronted tones." said a citizen. 

People have begun to wonder that if the records of taxes paid were not maintained, it would have been very easy for corrupt officials to stomach the money as it would have no trail left. When SahilOnline contacted the Bhatkal Town Municipality officers who are responsible with the record keeping of taxes, they said that due to the shortage of staff, no one could be assigned to that particular work. Another officer said that as he had joined just three months ago, he was not aware of this situation. 

Mr. Mohammed Sadiq Matta, president of the Bhatkal Town Municipal Council stated that as soon he got wind of this massive irregularity, he ordered officers to start compiling information on the taxes paid. He has appealed the citizens to keep safe the receipts they were handed when they paid their taxes so that proper records could be maintained.