Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) held a protest outside the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) headquarters on Wednesday against a professional taxes levied by South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) on people.

The civic body on Monday passed the proposal to levy a professional tax on self-employed people and professionals working in companies, announced effective hike in property tax on commercial properties and also levied 1 per cent extra duty on transfer of property amid furore from opposition AAP which protested the move in the SDMC House.

As per the decision, salaried individuals and professionals like doctors and lawyers will have to pay professional tax if their monthly income is above Rs 50,000. According to the slab, for those earning in the range of Rs 50,001-75,000, the tax will be Rs 100 per month, for Rs 75,000-Rs 1,00,000 slab, it will be Rs 150 per month and for Rs 1,00,001 it will be Rs 200 per month, the official said. Self-employed people, earning up to Rs 6 lakh, will be exempted from this tax, the civic body said.

Earlier, the Standing Committee had approved levying of professional tax on such individuals having a monthly income of over Rs 20,000. The House also approved the hike in property transfer tax and postponed the decision on electricity tax hike, officials said.

Party workers led by AAP MCD in-charge Durgesh Pathak, gathered at DDU marg demanding roll back of all the three taxes.

Pathak said, "The BJP riled north Corporation also wanted to impose similar taxes but out members did not allow them to pass the resolution. He attacked the BJP, saying the party is imposing such taxes at a time when people are struggling because of Covid-19 pandemic."

The AAP has been protesting the decision since the SDMC standing committee approved it recently. The party had asked the civic body to roll back the hike in taxes and not levies professional tax.