I-T Dept told to make arrangements to tackle last-minute rush

The government has asked the Income Tax Department to make special arrangements in major tax collecting centres from July 28 to 31, the last four days of accepting returns, to tackle the rush.

"The Income Tax Department has been asked to make special arrangements by setting up additional counters from 28th July to 31st July 2010, to help taxpayers file their Income Tax returns,"  the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) said in a release.

In Delhi, special counters would be set up at Pragati Maidan to receive about five lakh income tax returns filed in the last few days.

Similar arrangements would also be made in other major tax collecting centres of the department, including Mumbai, Kolkata, Bangalore, Chennai, Chandigarh, Ahmedabad and Hyderabad.
    
"Taxpayers are advised to file their income tax returns early to avoid last-minute rush. Taxpayers are also requested to use the e-filing facility of the Income Tax Department to get faster and error-free services," the CBDT said.
    
It also asked the Income Tax Department to make extra arrangements for receiving Income Tax returns on July 31, the last date, as it happens to fall on a Saturday.
    
Over 3.5 crore people come under the Income Tax net in the country. The rules for the same were recently amended to include the receipt number on TDS certificates as a mandatory field from next year.
    
"It is clarified that the receipt number will not be required for the income tax returns to be filed this year (assessment year 2010-11), but only from next year," it added.
    
Tax deductors are, however, requested to quote the receipt number for all the tax deducted in this financial year.