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Income Tax Department finds 21.75 lakh non-filers of tax return Courtesy : The Financial Express

Continuing its drive to nab tax evaders, the income tax department has identified additional 21.75 lakh potential non-filers. The department has already sent notices to 50,000 such entities, urging them to pay up.

The department has identified these cases through its data matching exercise and has made the same available on the e-filing portal of the department so that such PAN card holders can view the information and respond accordingly.

“The information will be shown only to the specific PAN holder when the PAN holder logs into e-filing portal. The PAN holder will be able to submit the response electronically and keep a print-out of the submitted response for record purposes,” an official statement said.

In February, last year, the I-T department had initiated a business intelligence project to identify PAN holders who have not filed I-T return and about whom specific information is available in Annual Information Return (AIR), Central Information Branch (CIB) data and TDS returns. The department zeroed in on 12.19 lakh non-filers holding Permanent Account Number (PAN).

Subsequently, the Income Tax department sent them letters containing summary of information about their financial transactions along with customized response sheet with a view to know why the person has not filed the income-tax return.

As a result, “5,36,220 returns have been received from the target segment. Self assessment tax of Rs 1,017.87 crore and advance tax of Rs 898.22 crore has also been paid by the target segment,” the statement said.
For taxpayers who have shifted to different locations, the department has sought help of field formations to catch hold of such evaders. The finance ministry said the exercise would continue till all potential non-filers are covered.

Taxing

* The department has identified these cases through its data matching exercise and has made the same available on its e-filing portal so that such PAN card holders can respond accordingly
* The department has already sent notices to 50,000 such entities, urging them to pay up.
* In February, last year, the I-T department had zeroed in on 12.19 lakh non-filers holding Permanent Account Number (PAN)

© 2012 Centre for Tax Awareness and Research Design and Developed by

During my 37-year-old career with Income Tax department, I moved from place to place, post to post. For me, every posting was a challenge, and at the same time an opportunity to deliver.

After my retirement as Chairman of Central Board of Direct Taxes, I was invited by various institutions and NGOs to deliver talks on tax matters. While advising taxpayers across sectors, I noticed, our vast salaried class including armed and paramilitary forces, pensioners or senior citizens, NRIs, professionals and small business establishments need the right guidance. Most taxpayers do comply with their tax obligations fully. Yet, they are not somehow relaxed and are burdened with anxieties. A large number of taxpayers are not even aware that getting tax refund on time is a basic right.

In one such meeting, a middle-aged man quizzed me why could not I give tax advice 24X7. For a moment, I had no answer. He then added that I should give tax solutions online so that he does not need to come from a remote place to attend my lecture. I thanked him for his suggestion.

For a while I was restless. Already I had got myself enrolled as a Member of the Bar Council of Delhi and as an Advocate of Delhi High Court Bar Association, thanks to my law degree from the University of Allahabad. Yet, I was not sure how I could help the vast majority of taxpayers who somehow maintain a safe distance from the taxmen. I then tossed the idea of creating a tax think-tank with some of my former colleagues and highly spirited individuals. All of us immediately agreed on one count: millions of Indian taxpayers expect to access tailor-made tax research materials and seek guidance from those who have been parts of the tax machinery for decades.

That is how CTAR was born. So, be a part of our passionate journey to explain tax laws and rules in simpler words. Just drop us a few lines on any query related to direct and indirect tax or FEMA. We are at your assistance. We also look forward to hearing your experiences while dealing with the system.