CBDT to hold high-level review of I-T e-assessment system before its roll-out

The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) will on Thursday conduct a pan-India review of the ambitious e-assessment system for income-tax payers before rolling it out next month.

The CBDT, which frames policy for the Income-tax department, had last week set up the National e-assessment Centre (NeAC) in Delhi as part of the Centre's plan to launch faceless and nameless assessment for income-tax payers.

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has said the e-assessment scheme will be rolled out on October 8 which is 'Vijayadashami' day this year.

Officials said the high-level review will be conducted through video conferencing by CBDT Chairman P C Mody along with other members of the board from here.

Regional chiefs of the Income-Tax department in Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Bengaluru, Pune, Hyderabad and Ahmedabad and officials of NeAC will discuss issues related to successful implementation of the scheme and potential challenges during the review, they said.

The meeting will take stock of deployment of required computer systems, Internet and other hardware, and software facilities for assessing officers, officials said.

The NeAC will have 16 officials and will be headed by a Principal Chief Commissioner of Income-tax (PCCIT). It will be an independent office for e-assessment.

The NeAC will serve notices to assessees specifying the issues for selection of their case for assessment and after a response is received from them within 15 days, the centre will allocate the case to an assessing officer using an automated system, a government notification had earlier said.

"A person shall not be required to appear either personally or through authorised representative in connection with any proceedings under this scheme (e-assessment) before the income-tax authority at the National e-assessment Centre or Regional e-assessment Centre or any unit set up under this scheme," the notification stated.

In case assessees or their authorised representatives want personal hearing to make their submissions or present their case before the income-tax authority, they will be allowed to do so "in any unit" and such hearings shall be conducted exclusively through video links or any other such facility, it had said.