CBDT notifies emails as new communication mode with taxpayers

Print 07-Dec-2015 , 10:17:08 am | By CASANSAAR

The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) has notified an amendment in the Income Tax Act that would allow the department to serve notices to taxpayers through their registered emails and would also make it legitimate for assessees to file their responses and authenticated documents through electronic mails.

The measure has been initiated to limit public interface of I-T officials with taxpayers and make all interactions recorded over emails. This is intended to curb alleged corrupt practices in the department, where it is often claimed that I-T officers unnecessarily raise new queries after every interaction.

The department had earlier launched a pilot project to check how the new mechanism could be implemented across the country without glitches. The test check was carried out in the five metros of Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Ahmedabad and Chennai.

"This will eliminate the necessity of visiting income tax offices by the taxpayers, particularly in smaller cases involving limited issues and where the taxpayer is able to provide details required by the assessing officer without necessitating his physical presence," the CBDT said.

The amendment was made in Section 282 of the I-T Act (service of notice) allowing for inclusion of taxpayers or tax paying entities' email as the new mode of official communication along with existing modes like courier, postage or departmental dispatch.

The tax department can now send official communication to "email address available in the last income tax return furnished by the taxpayers or in the case of addressee being a company, email address of the company". (Times of India)

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