Bengaluru: If trade bodies have their way, shops and establishments in Bengaluru may soon get rid of the hassle of getting trade licences from Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) for doing business in the city.

Various trade bodies led by the Federation of Karnataka Chambers of Commerce and Industries (FKCCI) on Friday met Chief Minister Siddaramaiah as part of the ongoing pre-budget consultations. One of the main proposals the trade bodies wanted the CM to include in his budget for 2018-19 was the abolition of trade licence, which is mandatory to run any business in the city.

“At present, industries are exempt from trade licences, and traders want the same exemption to be extended to shops and establishments too. Abolition of trade licence for all business sectors will be in line with the government’s policy to promote the ease of doing business,” said B T Manohar, state taxation chairman of FKCCI.

The rationale for the demand is that a part of professional tax traders pay goes to the BBMP’s kitty and collection of licence fee from traders by the civic body would only amount to double taxation.