Bhopal Municipal Corporation Council Meet: President Of Chamber Of Commerce Attends Discussions Over Commercial Tax After Traders' Protest—VIDEO

The Bhopal Municipal Corporation Council meeting commenced on Wednesday, experiencing a 50-minute delay. Prior to the proceedings, traders affiliated with the Chamber of Commerce presented a memorandum criticizing the commercial tax imposed on businesses. The agenda for the meeting consisted of a single item: a proposal to lease out vacant municipal buildings.

The meeting's Chairman, Kishan Suryavanshi, invited Chamber of Commerce President Govind Goyal to occupy a seat in the House. Throughout the session, opposition councillors vehemently raised concerns about the commercial tax and called for its withdrawal. Opponents of the tax also chanted slogans during the session. The Leader of Opposition, Sabista Zaki, accused Mayor Malti Rai of making false claims during a budget meeting in March, alleging that property tax was secretly increased through the budget.

Mayor Malti Rai countered the allegation, stating that property tax had not been increased but rather rationalized according to wards. As the meeting progressed, traders demonstrated outside the ISBT campus, and the opposition's protest extended to demanding the implementation of the Bhopal Master Plan and a mixed land-use policy.