India, May 24 -- Holding that civic bodies cannot seal premises to recover unpaid property tax in the absence of a statutory provision, the Bombay high court on Tuesday directed the Ulhasnagar Municipal Corporation (UMC) to immediately unseal a fast-food outlet and a godown in Ulhasnagar that were shut over alleged tax arrears.

The vacation bench of Justices Gautam Ankhad and Sandesh D Patil passed the order while hearing a plea by shop owner Lachman Duseja, whose premises were sealed on March 30.

"The learned counsel for Respondent no.1 Corporation is unable to show us any provision of law, which entitles it to seal the premises for non-payment of the property tax," the bench said while ordered the UMC "to forthwith unseal both the pre...