BackHow many income tax returns (ITRs) are picked up for scrutiny each year
The number of cases selected for scrutiny has reduced drastically over the yearsIn the assessment year 2018-19, only 0.25% ITRs were sent for scrutiny
PremiumNEW DELHI : In order to facilitate better taxpayer services, the income tax department has drastically cut the number of income tax returns (ITRs) sent for scrutiny over the years. Releasing the data of how many ITRs were sent for scrutiny each year, the I-T department said in the assessment year 2015-16, 0.71% of ITRs were sent for scrutiny while in 2018-19 the number dropped down to 0.25%.
“IT Dept is changing-from just enforcement to facilitating better taxpayer services. In continuation of the same, the no. of cases selected for scrutiny has reduced drastically over the years," the finance ministry said on Twitter.
The data shows that the number of income tax scrutiny cases was 0.71% in AY 2015-16, 0.40% in AY 2016-17, 0.55% in AY 2017-18 and 0.25% in AY 2018-19. The ministry, however, did not give the absolute number of cases picked up for scrutiny during these years.
State-wise data also showed while the scrutiny as percentage of income tax returns (ITRs) filed has come down, the number of returns filed during AY 2018-19 has gone up compared to AY 2017-18.
Scrutiny cases in Odisha reduced to 0.12 per cent in AY 2018-19, from 0.37 per cent in the year before. Similarly, for Punjab, it came down from 0.40 per cent to 0.14 per cent in AY 2018-19.
As many as 10.29 lakh ITRs were filed in Odisha in AY 2018-19, against 8.31 lakh in AY 2017-18.
In Punjab, 27.65 lakh ITRs were filed in AY 2018-19, up from 23.44 lakh filed in 2017-18.
In West Bengal 38.93 lakh ITRs were filed in AY 2018-19, while cases picked up for scrutiny was 0.25 per cent. This compares to 33.64 lakh ITRs filed and 0.59 per cent scrutiny cases in 2017-18.
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