M A I N   N E W S

In Badal land, ‘happy hours’ for marriage halls
Charanjit Bhullar
Tribune News Service

Tax-free life Private marriage palaces are bound to pay heavy taxes, but those in the Chief Minister’s constituency and its adjoining areas are exempt from all such levies as they have been constructed with the government funds The CM released ~3.53 crore for 10 marriage palaces, eight in Lambi alone, during “sangat darshan” programmes Though the government has been referring to them as marriage palaces-cum-community centres to evade taxes, in the information provided to this reporter, they have been referred to as marriage palaces

Muktsar, January 4
While marriage palaces run by private individuals in Punjab are reeling under heavy taxes imposed by the government, the ones in the constituency of Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and its adjoining areas have been exempted from such levies. Reason: these have been constructed with government funds.

Information gathered by The Tribune under the Right to Information (RTI) Act revealed that the government had constructed eight palaces in Lambi constituency, represented by the Chief Minister, alone. One marriage palace each has also been constructed at Gidderbaha and Malout. All have come up through discretionary and rural development funds allotted by the Chief Minister during his “sangat darshan” programmes. It is learnt that a sum of Rs 3.53 crore had been spent to construct these 10 palaces.

The rule book says that private marriage palaces have to pay 14.25 per cent Value Added Tax (VAT), besides 8 per cent Luxury Tax and 8 per cent Service Tax on catering. Liquor fee, which they are required to pay for each occasion, varies from Rs 8,000 to Rs 50,000, depending on the number of guests. None of the marriage palaces built with government funds in and around Lambi are following the rule book. They have never even applied for liquor fee.

Though the government has been referring to them as marriage palaces-cum-community centres to evade taxes, in the information provided to this reporter, they have been referred to as marriage palaces.

The Punjab Government had spent Rs 55 lakh to construct a marriage palace at Aamalwalla village, followed by ones at Gaggar village (Rs 50 lakh), Bhalaiana village (Rs 42.38 lakh), Beedowalli village (Rs 42 lakh), Malout village (Rs 26 lakh), Danewalla village (Rs 25 lakh) and Mahni Khera village (Rs 20 lakh). The management of these marriage palaces rests with the village panchayats.

Beedowalli member panchayat Sukhmander Singh said the panchayat had fixed a fee of Rs 2,100 per marriage and that the palace was being run successfully for the past six months. He said besides Rs 2-lakh grant for the tent and other decorations, 400 chairs had been provided by the government.

Muktsar Assistant Excise and Taxation Commissioner PK Malhotra said these palaces were run and maintained by the panchayats without any profit, so no taxes were imposed on these facilities. He feigned ignorance on the consumption of liquor at marriage parties solemnised at these palaces.

Mohlan village sarpanch Davinder Pal Singh said these palaces were constructed for the “poor” and the panchayat was not charging any fee or maintenance funds from people.

Muktsar District Development and Panchayat Officer Naval Ram said these palaces were actually community centres and funds could be sanctioned in larger public interest. “There is no restriction on constructing such buildings and no fee is being charged to use such facilities,” he added.