BJP, AIMIM MLAs oppose CURE Bill over property tax, governance powers

Opposition legislators in Telangana have objected to multiple provisions of the Core Urban Region (Integrated Governance) Bill, 2026, contending that property tax within the proposed CURE area would rise sharply every year. Members of the Bharatiya Janata Party and the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen demanded that the relevant clause be withdrawn.

Speaking against the Bill, BJP member P. Harish Babu criticised the proposed shift to levying property tax on the capital value of a property, arguing that it would substantially inflate the tax burden annually. He said the legislation violated the 74th Constitutional Amendment and warned that ward committees and standing committees would be left with no real authority, since a governing council headed by the Chief Minister would hold all powers. Another BJP member, T. Raja Singh, called for the involvement of local legislators.

AIMIM Floor Leader Akbaruddin Owaisi questioned the government's plan to assess property tax in the CURE area on the capital value of the plinth area of residential and non-residential premises, buildings and flats, instead of the annual rental value currently in practice. He described the proposed method as unreasonable.

Owaisi said the executive council or apex governing council envisaged for the CURE area would effectively become a super body led by the Chief Minister, overriding the powers of the elected body. In his view, the Bill could be readily challenged in court.

He also opposed provisions covering property tax increases, revised assessment, mutation and title conferment of properties, and the payment of water and sewerage charges without a guarantee that the necessary infrastructure would be available. He pointed to the absence of any assessment of actual staffing requirements and a lack of clarity on cadre strength.

The AIMIM leader urged the government to release municipal bodies' share of motor vehicle tax and profession tax, and to overhaul the city's sewerage and storm water drainage systems. He suggested that the Bill be referred to a Select Committee to make it more comprehensive and better suited to improving people's lives. He further criticised the award of an underground power cabling contract worth ₹1,400 crore to a single company.

Minister D. Sridhar Babu sought to address the concerns raised by the AIMIM and BJP members, stating that the apex council would have only an advisory role. He said the Mayor and Corporators would continue to function independently, as they do at present.