Udupi: The revision of the business license fee increasing in the Udupi Municipal limit is against the act and should get public opinion, said K. Raghupathy Bhat, former MLA of Udupi Constituency.

While speaking to media persons at Udupi on Saturday, 27th February, 2016 he said before making any increase or alteration of business license fee, Municipal Council should appear in the newspaper seeking public opinion and advertisement is followed by a waiting period of one month for any objection from the concerned public and thereafter has to be presented before the council session meeting.

He said that the fees collected by the municipality should not exceed Rs. Five hundred per year. But by using majority in the council, it has been increased by three times the earlier amount.

The Municipality is collecting fees from doctors, professors, library and museums which the fees fixed now is on a scale of Rs Three thousand to Rs Ten thousand depending on area of the commercial property. The Udupi council had been collecting Rs 125 for no objection certificate which now increased to Rs Two thousand.

However, he said the municipality should take into consideration the opposition council members prior to increase the fees, he added.

He said Pramod Madwaraj, Udupi MLA prior to the legislative election, said that he never takes any bribes officially. But he said Pramod Madwaraj has directed the municipality before issue of completion certificate from the municipality should give two flats free to the poor. He argues that this will be an official bribe which is being taken from the builder.

The city BJP will discuss the fee increase with the DC and party workers will state demonstration in front of CMC office on Monday 29th February at 8.30 am demanding revocation of the fee.

Raghavendra Kini, President of Udupi BJP City Block, Councillor Vasanthi Shetty, Geetha Seth, Girish Anchan, Smt Laila and others were present during the press meet.