The State government is planning to levy luxury tax on a slab basis on wedding ceremonies that cost over Rs. 5 lakh, with 1,000 guests in attendance. The amount collected thus will be pooled in to a ‘marriage fund’ to sponsor marriages of the poor or to hold mass marriages. Registration of marriages will also be made mandatory.
Minister for Law and Parliamentary Affairs T.B. Jayachandra told presspersons here on Thursday that rich and middle class families were spending lavishly on the marriages of their children. To exhibit wealth, families invite thousands of people to the ceremony and organise functions in expensive places. “I recently received a wedding invitation that cost more than Rs. 7,000 each,” he said.
The Minister said the tax slabs would be decided after discussing the Karnataka Marriages (Regulation and Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 1976 in the State legislature.
The Bill would be amended to levy luxury tax on lavish weddings. Marriage tax officers would be appointed to monitor these ceremonies and collect taxes, he said.
The Minister said that extravagant expenses could be curtailed by levying luxury tax. Some families had been put to untold misery owing to dowry and marriage expenses. The proposed Bill would help cut down unnecessary spending on marriages, apart from generating money to fund marriages of the poor. A sum of Rs. 25,000 would be given to a poor family for the ceremony, he said.
“Let the public debate the proposed law. A law will come into being only after the public accept the provisions of the Bill,” the Minister said.
He quoted the example of the Kerala government, which levies luxury tax on marriages with over 500 guests in attendance.
Published - May 30, 2014 12:34 pm IST
