Pune: Bounced Cheques Delay Rs 18 Crore Property Tax Recovery; PMC Plans Rs 5,000 Charge Per Cheque
Pune, 15th October 2026: The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) plans to impose a Rs 5,000 administrative charge for every cheque issued towards property tax payments that bounces due to insufficient funds, in a bid to curb attempts by defaulters to delay recovery action.
In 440 such cases, property tax dues amounting to Rs 10 crore remain unpaid. The civic administration will soon submit a proposal seeking approval to recover the additional charge from defaulters.
During the first six months of the 2026-27 financial year, the PMC’s property tax department issued notices in 2,150 cases involving dishonoured cheques, with dues worth Rs 18 crore pending. While some defaulters paid up after receiving notices, several others ignored them, leaving a substantial amount unrecovered.
The civic body takes measures such as issuing notices, seizing properties and initiating legal proceedings to recover outstanding property tax. However, some defaulters allegedly issue cheques to avoid or delay such action, only for them to bounce because of insufficient funds.
Despite the large number of cases, no criminal complaint has been registered so far over dishonoured cheques, according to the information provided by the civic administration.
The PMC’s total outstanding property tax dues have crossed ₹15,000 crore, adding to the pressure on its recovery mechanism.
The administration has been directed to examine the relevant legal and administrative provisions before seeking approval for the proposed charge. It is also exploring whether the Rs 5,000 amount can be listed separately in the defaulter’s property tax bill for the following financial year.
If approved, the measure would impose an additional financial burden on defaulters who use cheques to delay recovery proceedings, over and above their outstanding property tax dues.
