India’s Income Tax Department has Issued ‘Tax Payer Charter’
On 13th August 2020, India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched The Taxpayers’ Charter. The charter has promised to make tax compliance easy by reducing the cost of compliance and also to uphold privacy and confedentiality of the taxpayers. It has listed the commitments by the tax department to the taxpayer and also the responsibilities of the tax-payer.
The Income Tax Department is committed to:
o Provide fair, courteous, and reasonable treatment: The Department shall provide prompt, courteous, and professional assistance in all dealings with the taxpayer.
o Treat taxpayer as honest: The Department shall treat every taxpayer as honest unless there is a reason to believe otherwise.
o Provide mechanism for appeal and review: The Department shall provide fair and impartial appeal and review mechanism.
o Provide complete and accurate information : The Department shall provide accurate information for fulfilling compliance obligations under the law.
o Provide timely decisions: The Department shall take decision in every incometax proceeding within the time prescribed under law.
o Collect the correct amount of tax: The Department shall collect only the amount due as per the law.
o Respect privacy of taxpayer: The Department will follow due process of law and be no more intrusive than necessary in any inquiry, examination, or enforcement action.
o Maintain confidentiality: The Department shall not disclose any information provided by taxpayer to the department unless authorized by law.
o Hold its authorities accountable: The Department shall hold its authorities accountable for their actions.
o Enable representative of choice: The Department shall allow every taxpayer to choose an authorized representative of his choice.
o Provide mechanism to lodge complaint: The Department shall provide mechanism for lodging a complaint and prompt disposal thereof.
o Provide a fair & just system: The Department shall provide a fair and impartial system and resolve the tax issues in a time-bound manner
o Publish service standards and report periodically: The Department shall publish standards for service delivery in a periodic manner.
o Reduce cost of compliance: The Department shall duly take into account the cost of compliance when administering tax legislation.
Taxpayers’ Charter expects taxpayers to:
o Be honest and compliant: Taxpayer is expected to honestly disclose full information and fulfil his compliance obligations.
o Be informed: Taxpayer is expected to be aware of his compliance obligations under tax law and seek help of department if needed.
o Keep accurate records: Taxpayer is expected to keep accurate records required as per law.
o Know what the representative does on his behalf: Taxpayer is expected to know what information and submissions are made by his authorised representative.
o Respond in time: Taxpayer is expected to make submissions as per tax law in timely manner.
o Pay in time: Taxpayer is expected to pay amount due as per law in a timely manner.
Taxpayers can approach the Taxpayers’ Charter Cell under Principal Chief Commissioner of Income tax in each Zone for compliance to this charter.
Rajat Jhingan
