Watching movies and television will be dearer in the national Capital from Monday with the Aam Aadmi Party Government issuing a notification of an increase in entertainment tax.
The proposal to increase entertainment tax from 20 per cent to 40 per cent was tabled by Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia in the Assembly last month and the Government has now notified its decision.
“Watching movies in cinema halls in Delhi will be costlier from July 20 as Government has issued the notification in this regard,” said a senior Government official.
Besides, watching television through cable and DTH services will also cost more as the decision to increase an entertainment tax on these services from Rs20 to Rs40 was also notified by the AAP Government.
The official also said the Government may also notify its decision to increase luxury tax from 10 per cent to 15 per cent in next week. According to the official, the file pertaining to luxury tax has been sent to its law Department for its clearance before notifying this decision.
The Kejriwal Government on Thursday increased the VAT rate on petrol from 20 per cent to 25 per cent and on diesel from 12.5 per cent to 16.6 per cent, resulting in an increase in the prices of petrol and diesel by Rs2.78 per litre and 1.83 per litre (approx) respectively. The BJP and Congress also criticised the AAP Government’s move, accusing it of “cheating” people.
A source said the Government was in the process to increase the registration tax by 25 per cent on the existing rate of all categories of private vehicles registered in the name of companies and partnership firms. “The increase of registration tax was not going to affect individuals,” a senior officer said, adding that under the present scheme of things in the Indian Stamp Act 1989 as applicable in the NCT of Delhi, the collector of stamp could impose penalty from Rs5 up to 10 times of the amount of deficit of stamp duty in case of impounded documents.
“The Government now intends to rationalise the penalty at the rate of two per cent of the deficit amount for every month of delay.”