Outlook Money
Receiving an income tax scrutiny notice can be stressful, but it does not always mean a mistake has happened. It simply means your return will be examined in detail.
Income tax notices have different purposes. A scrutiny notice under Section 143(2) is for verification, while other notices may relate to return processing or correcting missing information.
Your ITR can be selected for scrutiny due to mismatches, unreported income, investment details, capital gains, property transactions, or information available through AIS and other records.
Before responding, verify the notice on the e-filing portal. Check the assessment year, response deadline, and the exact details or documents requested by the tax department.
Taxpayers can reply through the e-Proceedings section on the income tax portal. The response should address each query clearly and include relevant supporting documents.
Depending on the query, taxpayers may need documents like Form 16, bank statements, interest certificates, investment records, capital gains details, or property-related papers for verification.
Ignoring the notice, missing deadlines, uploading unclear documents, or giving unsupported explanations can create problems. A timely and accurate response can help complete the scrutiny process smoothly.