HC tells SCA to deposit 50L more

Ahmedabad: Gujarat high court has asked Saurashtra Cricket Association (SCA) to deposit Rs 50 lakh more with Khandheri gram panchayat, on the outskirts of Rajkot, as a precondition to stay the village body's move to seal the newly built cricket stadium, for non-payment of Rs 1.74 crore as panchayat property tax.
Two years ago, the SCA moved the HC against the village panchayat's demand for property tax after valuation of the construction put up for the cricket stadium.The high court had then asked the association to deposit Rs 25 lakh as a condition to grant a stay on the sealing. The Khandheri village panchayat has been asking SCA to pay property tax because the stadium is built within its revenue limits.
As SCA filed a second petition, the high court observed that it would not be proper to grant ex-parte relief by staying the village panchayat's action for non-payment of property tax without hearing the village panchayat and Rajkot district authorities, including the district development officer.
SCA has been claiming that it is exempt from such taxes because it is a charitable organization and the stadium was not constructed for commercial activity.
The division bench of Justice Akil Kureshi and Justice A J Shastri issued notice to the village panchayat and slated a further hearing for July 18.