"The Income Tax department is moving towards faceless scrutiny assessment. This is a novel scheme, which is good for the taxpayers and the department. There will be no harassment, this will reduce litigation and interface. This is a very good scheme and I urge all taxpayers to come forward and make compliance under the new scheme which is beneficial to all," said Shri M. L. Karmakar, Principal Chief Commissioner of Income-Tax, Tamil Nadu & Puducherry, today.

He said this while addressing a Virtual Press Conference organised by the Press Information Bureau, Chennai, on Faceless Assessment started by Income Tax Department. Smt Jahanzeb Akhter, IRS, Principal Commissioner of Income-Tax, ReAC also explained about the scheme and answered to queries from journalists, while Shri Gurubabu Balaraman, Director, PIB, Chennai, moderated the event.

Shri Karmakar said the scheme was devised for greater transparency, greater efficiency and accountability. "This scheme will eliminate interface between taxpayer and tax officers. Taxpayers need not come to Income Tax office personally. Sitting at home, they can file submission and tax officials will analyse it with a randomised system using data analytics and artificial intelligence."

He further said that a lot of things would depend on the discretion of assessing officer in manual assessment. "We have completely revamped it. Instead of territorial jurisdiction, we have brought in dynamic jurisdiction,” he said.

"There will be objective, free, fair and just assessment," he said and added that at least 5,000 assessments will be done per week under the new system and by the end of October, 58,000 assessments will be done. He said that the new form of assessment process would also bring down litigation and compress the time-frame of concluding a dispute.

"In the earlier system, an Income-Tax return goes to an official in the same territorial jurisdiction of the taxpayer. But now, the algorithm decides where it would go for assessment thus bringing anonymity," Shri Karmakar said.

Smt Jahanzeb Akhter said the Income Tax department has disposed of around 8,000 cases under the first phase of faceless assessment system, which is still in its pilot form. "Out of them, Chennai centre has done 1900 assessments," she said

In a lighter vein, she said, it is like an energising cup of TEA- as it ensures 'T'ransparency, 'E'fficiency & 'Accountability'. "We have cut physical interface and made the life of taxpayers easy. Equity and justice are part of the new system and it is data driven."

Stating that taxpayers will be guided handheld in filing the return, she said they need not feel guilty henceforth of filing a faulty return. She said transaction details of taxpayers are being received by the Income Tax department from various sources and they are being fed to the system. "So, even if there is an inadvertent error, we can point it out. We can also find tax evasions easily. I am sure this new system will ensure proper and error-free filing in future without harassing the taxpayers. Because, it is with their money schemes are getting implemented and it is our priority to reduce their burden. I am very optimistic about the new system", she said.

"In all the cases, the grievances of over-pitched assessment or harassment of taxpayers/tax professional have been almost eliminated," she said. The taxpayers have been advised to check their registered e-filing accounts/email ids for notices or updates.

"Earlier during assessment proceedings in scrutiny cases, taxpayers were required to make multiple visits to the income tax office. But, in the new system, they need not visit our office at all," Smt Jahanzeb Akhter said.

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