Municipal council may charge fees for certain licences, etc.

Municipal council may charge fees for certain licences, etc. (1) When any licence or permit is granted by the municipal council under this Act, or when permission is given by it for making any temporary erection or for putting up any projection, or for the temporary occupation of any public street or other land vested in the municipal council, the municipal council may charge a fee for such licence or permission: Provided that when permission is given for putting up a projection, the authority giving such permission may charge every year a recurring fee until the projection is removed. (2) The municipal council may charge a higher fee by way of penalty for any erection, or projection, or for the use or occupation of any public street or other land vested in the municipal council by any person without its permission or licence. Such fee shall be leviable irrespective of any other penalty or liability to which the person liable to pay the same may be subject under any other provision of this Act or any other law for the time being in force. The rates of such higher fees shall be determined by bye-laws made by the municipal council. (3) The municipal council may charge such fees, not exceeding five rupees per bus, as may be fixed by bye-laws made under section 324, for the use of a bus stand maintained by the municipal council: Provided that no fee shall be levied under this sub-section unless a bus stand with adequate facilities for travellers is established and the previous sanction of the Deputy Commissioner for such levy is obtained. (4) The municipal council may also charge such fees as may be fixed by bye-laws either under clause (a) of sub-section (1) of section 324 for the use of any such places mentioned in that sub-section, as belong to the municipal council, or for any other purpose relating to municipal administration. (5) It shall be lawful for the municipal council to lease the levy of any fee that may be imposed under sub-section (4) by public auction or private contract. (6) When any fee has been leased under sub-section (5) any person employed by the lessee to collect such fees or the lessee himself may subject to the conditions of the lease, collect the fee or expel from the place for the use of which the fee is payable, any person who is liable to pay the fee, but refuses to pay it.