How to respond to income-tax mail on Cash transaction during Demonetisation February 4, 2017
Now days we are receiving an email or SMS from the Income-tax Department (ITD).
The ITD has started contacting those individuals whose bank accounts have witnessed transactions related to cash deposits between November 9 and December 30, 2016. This communication, however, need not be construed as an I-T notice.
Submit your response online
Instead of visiting the I-T office, the taxpayers can submit online explanations by logging on to the e-filing website (https://incometaxindiaefiling.gov.in) using their credentials.
If they haven't registered yet, they can do so by clicking on the 'Register Yourself' link. Registered taxpayers should verify and update their email address and mobile number on the e-filing portal to receive electronic communication.
Some cases will be selected for verification based on risk criteria. If a case is selected for verification, the request for additional information and its response can also be communicated digitally by the ITD and the taxpayer respectively.
Again, the response of the taxpayer will be assessed against available information and in case the explanation for the source of cash is found to be justified, the verification will be closed without any need to visit the I-T office.
The response
The taxpayer can respond in two steps.
First, the taxpayer needs to confirm that the bank account relates to his PAN. Further details are required to be provided in the second step only if the taxpayer confirms that the account relates to him.
Confirming the bank account
The user has two options:
• The account does not relate to this PAN: If the user selects this response then "Your feedback will be sent to the information source for confirmation" will be displayed. On clicking the submit button, the success message along with the transaction ID is displayed on the screen.
• The account relates to this PAN: If the user selects this then the screen showing transaction details will be displayed to the user.
Illustration :-
Cash deposit in the account between November 9 and December 30, 2016 (as reported) - Rs X
The row below will show: Cash deposit in the account between November and December 30, 2016 (as confirmed by you) - Rs Y
You can even modify the actual amount deposited, i.e., as confirmed by you.
At this stage, you will have to provide the explanation for the transaction. The screen helps you identify one:
*Cash out of earlier income or savings
*Cash out of receipts exempt from tax
*Cash withdrawn out of bank account
*Cash received from identifiable persons (with PAN)
*Cash received from identifiable persons (without PAN)
*Cash received from unidentifiable persons
*Cash disclosed/to be disclosed under PMGKY
The sum of all 7 sources of cash deposits should match with the confirmed cash deposit amount (Rs X or Rs Y) such that balance is computed as 0.
Watchouts
If you have received any such communication, make sure you send a response. In cases where no response is received within a reasonable time, other proceedings and enforcement actions will be considered.
Also, the ITD informs that, "If the explanation or the information is not in line with the taxpayer profile or other available information, the case may be selected for verification based on risk criteria."
Conclusion
The information on the online portal will be dynamic, getting updated on receipt of new information, response and data analytics.
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