A property once owned by former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa in Hyderabad’s Srinagar Colony was seized, albeit briefly, by civic authorities after the owners failed to pay property tax for years. The standoff ended on Tuesday, March 31, 2026, when the family began the process of settling the dues.
Tax mess since 2017
Officials revealed that the property, a stilt-plus-four-storey building, had unpaid property tax dating back to 2017. The total dues, including arrears and penal interest, had ballooned to a whopping ₹1.6 crore.
However, with the One Time Settlement scheme offering a 90% waiver on interest (valid until March 31), the amount now stands close to ₹83 lakh.
The building had been classified as commercial, mainly because it was rented out to fugitive liquor tycoon Vijay Mallya before he left India. No one had updated the municipal records to reflect the legal heirs’ names or changed the property’s category.
As a result, GHMC still lists Jayalalithaa as the owner.
Vacant but not exempt
Though the property has remained vacant for years, the family could not provide proof of vacancy.
Without such proof, the heirs cannot claim concessions on property tax, officials confirmed.
A caretaker has now been appointed to manage the building until the tax and ownership issues are fully resolved.
Legal heirs step in
The matter ties back to the Madras High Court’s May 2020 ruling, which officially recognised Jayalalithaa’s nephew J. Deepak and niece J. Deepa as her legal heirs.
Since Jayalalithaa died intestate, without leaving a will, the court’s declaration made them responsible for her estate, including taxes on this Hyderabad property.