Glitches in new e-filing site halt ITR filing: How to kickstart the filing process?

Aside from the Covid-19 pandemic, the glitches within the newly launched e-filing website are additionally giving further ache to the taxpayers.

Usually, the submitting strategy of Earnings Tax Return (ITR) concludes by July finish with the same old due date for submitting returns of earnings for the assessee with out audit wants is July 31 yearly. Nonetheless, like final yr, this yr additionally the ITR submitting course of is but to collect steam because of the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. Aside from the pandemic, the glitches within the newly launched e-filing website are additionally giving further ache to the taxpayers.

“The Earnings Tax web site often known as the Earnings tax portal is a vital hyperlink between the Earnings Tax Division and the taxpayers of the nation. It facilitates submitting of tax returns, totally different kinds below the Earnings Tax Act and in addition, performing different work pertaining to tax assessments corresponding to offering responses to Notices, checking refund standing queries, rectification, grievance redressal, submitting of enchantment earlier than first appellate authority (i.e.CIT-Attraction), illustration by Video Conferencing, and so on. The outdated earnings tax web site was easy but environment friendly in facilitating all of the aforementioned duties. Nonetheless, the CBDT vide Press launch dated Might 20, 2021 introduced the launch of latest e-filing portal 2.0 for introducing modernisation within the taxpayer’s expertise and to make it extra interactive. The press launch promised a bunch of latest options of the brand new e-filing portal that may make the e-filing expertise extra handy and user-friendly. For the aim of migrating and transitioning from the outdated earnings tax portal to the brand new e-filing portal, a blackout interval was introduced from June 1 2021 to June 6, 2021 whereby not one of the websites could be accessible to the taxpayers,” stated Dr. Suresh Surana, Founder, RSM India.

“The taxpayers extremely awaited the launch of the brand new e-filing portal on June 7, 2021 in order that they may full their tax associated work which was pending because of the blackout interval. Nonetheless, since its launch, the brand new e-filing portal has been vulnerable to quite a few glitches. Such glitches have restricted taxpayers from finishing up not solely any tax associated work but in addition any enterprise transaction which is topic to tax compliance. As an example, earlier than making a overseas remittance, taxpayers should acquire a certificates in Kind 15CB from a Chartered Accountant certifying the applicability of tax withholding provisions. For the reason that launch of the brand new portal, CAs haven’t been capable of add any certificates on the portal. This led to limitations on overseas remittances. As a short lived measure, the division has relaxed the requirement to add 15CB on the web site and allowed CAs to offer handbook Kind 15CBs to their purchasers. Rather than reverting again to such handbook system of Kind 15CBs, the division might have alternatively allowed the taxpayers or tax representatives to make use of the older earnings tax web site until the time the brand new portal turns into free from glitches with a view to keep away from hardship on the a part of the taxpayers for upkeep of on-line in addition to handbook knowledge for such remittance information,” he added.

“Since it’s within the transition stage it’s anticipated that the brand new net portal would step by step begin functioning effectively and would positively add extra worth added and person pleasant expertise to the taxpayers. The Division has additionally organized a gathering on June 22, 2021 to debate the difficulties confronted by the taxpayers within the new portal with Infosys (the seller and its crew). Different stakeholders together with members from ICAI, auditors, consultants and taxpayers are additionally anticipated to be part of the interplay,” stated Dr. Surana.

New Income Tax Site: Ill-timed launch of heavy, data guzzling site frustrates return filers

Enable submitting on the outdated website

Giving his opinion on permitting the outdated e-filing website to file the ITRs for the present Evaluation Yr (AY), CA Geetanshu Bhalla, Director at The Digital Compliance stated, “Sure, actually the income-tax division ought to enable the taxpayers to make use of its outdated web site for all earnings tax companies until its new web site is just not able to carry out with out glitches.” including, “Nonetheless, the likelihood to permit the ITR submitting appears distant as a result of the services of the submitting of ITR for AY 2021-22 was not enabled even on the outdated web site until its existence nor all kinds in new JSON format are issued but.”

“Moreover, one other subject is perhaps the pre-filled ITR knowledge can’t be offered to the taxpayers but because the due date of furnishing the earnings tax particulars together with earnings, TDS and particulars of specified transactions by the desired individual has not been handed over but. Submitting of ITR with out such particulars is just not advisable to the taxpayers until extraordinary circumstances warrant the identical,” stated Bhalla.

“The division ought to enable the assignees to file their ITR through., another mode in order that they get their no-objection certificates for leaving India seamlessly,” he added.

Give the brand new website extra time

Nonetheless, expressing his confidence that the glitches on the brand new website could be eliminated quickly, Gopal Bohra, Associate, NA Shah Associates stated, “The brand new web site was purported to be absolutely operational by June 7, 2021, however it’s nonetheless giving teething issues to the taxpayers whereas accessing the web site. Contemplating the huge taxpayer base in India, transition from current portal to new one ought to have been achieved step-by-step as a substitute of a whole overhaul in a single go. It might be acceptable, if the CBDT runs the outdated e-filing portal parallel to the brand new one in order that the technical bugs within the new web site could be fastened based mostly on the suggestions and would additionally make sure that taxpayers of the nation aren’t inconvenienced. Hopefully, by the assembly between the Finance Ministry and the Infosys crew on June 22, 2021 the problems shall be resolved based mostly on the suggestions of assorted stakeholders on this regard.”

Attempt the offline mode

Offering an alternative choice to bypass the problems on the brand new e-filing website, Niraj Bora, Founder, Surmount Enterprise Advisors Non-public Restricted stated, “As we’re conscious that the brand new e-filing portal was launched on June 7, 2021 whereby many customers are going through issues whereas submitting Earnings tax returns because of unresolved bugs. Nonetheless, this time the federal government has launched offline mode additionally, whereby customers can simply fill all of the requisite knowledge and confirm the identical by the portal. So in the intervening time, customers can discover the aforesaid mode, if they’re going through any technical glitches because of the newly launched portal. I wish to point out that this offline mode could be very time saving and person pleasant too.”

“Due to this fact, for my part, there is no such thing as a level in persevering with the outdated e-filing portal together with the newly launched web site for e-filing. The division is within the strategy of resolving the identical and the portal could be accessible with none bugs on the earliest. Additional the time restrict for submitting of return for AY 2020-21 has already been prolonged to September 30, 2021,” he stated, including, “For submitting returns through offline utility, customers have to obtain Frequent Offline Utility (Desktop Utility ITR 1 – 4) from obtain part of the brand new e-filing website.”