New Income Tax Portal- Untimely Updations – Could Be Avoided

Our Government is trying to make income tax portal user friendly but untimely changes brought on the portal has made the professionals’ work more difficult as the portal is still not functional completely.

Updations and changes are always welcome and appreciable by the users, if it is timely. When change is in our hands and controllable then planning wisely and timely can save the labour. This updation of income tax portal is not so timely and welcoming by the users and professionals because it is the time to prepare and file income tax returns which is also a source of revenue generation for the government but non functionality of the site has tied the hands of the professionals.

– Previous filing and records are not updated yet, hence there are chances of mismanagement.

– Operating software in the offices of the professionals are not being updated as they are linked with the changes being brought in on the income tax portal.

– Numerous changes have brought in, where a professional has to update himself first, before giving services to his clients whereas this is the time to give his professional services to his clients, not to educate himself.

– This is the time to file income tax returns but he is learning and educating himself to work on the portal (a few services are not working still).

– Re-registration of NGOs as per Sec 12AB is still pending and portal is not showing any form to upload under the same category.

– There are assesses who are either legal heir or representatives assesses but portal is only enabling them to login as self not as representative.

Had this change been brought in the months from November to January, it would have been welcoming by the professionals. They had got freed from filling of income tax returns and other compliances and could educate themselves in regard to the new portal.

At times, Government seems so unconcerned towards the challenges has to be faced by the professionals with new updations. To make the process smooth, bringing in the changes and updations all together, it should have been introduced in stages, when professionals get acquainted with one efficaciously then next could be brought in.

Dates are approaching and inability to file the e forms on the income tax portal is not only making services limited but also cumbersome for the professionals. To ease out the tension of timely compliances government is requested to extend the due date of efiling of income tax return and other forms (e.g. re registration of NGOs U/s 12A).

Advocate Sargun Babuta