Former King Gyanendra willing to pay tax

Constitutionally above the law and exempt from all taxes till a couple of years ago, former king Gyanendra Shah is willing to pay tax.
"Former king Gyanendra Shah has inquired with us about tax payment," said Finance Minister Surendra Pandey here today. "The deposed king is ready to pay income and property tax, telephone and electricity bills as a commoner," he said adding that he has not asked for any discount.
Officials at the ministry, however, said that the former king has to pay the property tax to the Metropolitan office and his telephone and electricity bills to Nepal Telecom (NT) and Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA).
"Gyanendra Shah is willing to pay power bills and water tariff, and the property tax on his personal residence Nirmal Niwas where he lived as prince till June 2001; on Jeewan Kunj that belonged to his brother Dhirendra, and Shobha Kunj -- the residence of his sister Shobha. He wants to pay tax from 2006 when he surrendered his royal powers and the parliament abolished the monarchy," Pandey added. "It is a positive development."
Pandey also said that the government might make some special arrangements for the former king if he is willing to pay all the taxes that he owes the government.
"Two weeks ago, one person came with a file that had some details of propery, phones that the former royals had and have and also of water bills," an official at the ministry said adding that they asked him to came with power of attorney.
The file showed that the deposed royal has 24 telephone lines -- some used by others currently -- five each at his daughter Prerana's residence and his private residence Nirmal Niwas, three each in Sitashma, Dilasha and Shobha's residence and seven water-line connectivity, according to the file submitted to the finance ministry.
"However, there was confusion about the time period the former king needed to pay the tax," the oficial said. "As requested by him he will have to pay tax only after he became a commoner some three years ago."
Nepal was declared the youngest republic in 2006 and Gyanendra Shah was stripped of the powers that the Shah dynasty had been exercising since 235 years.
Earlier, Gyanendra Shas' brpther Dhirendra's daughters -- Sitashma and Dilasha -- paid Rs 45 million as tax after a brief confusion over the period from when they need to pay tax. The Income Tax Act-2049 has exempted only the king from tax but not a single royal family member has paid tax. "Sitashma and Dilasha also claimed that they were above the law," the official said adding that the Act has not exempted them. "So, they finally paid they tax according to the Act."