March 15, 2023 is the last date for depositing the fourth installment of Advance Tax for the financial year 2022-23. The Income Tax Department is continuously sending messages to taxpayers to deposit advance tax. But the tax department has sent such messages to some taxpayers, whose wording is being expressed as a strong objection. Tax experts believe that this message from the tax department is creating an atmosphere of fear among taxpayers. This message of the tax department is also going viral on social media.
Uproar over the message of the Income Tax Department!
The Income Tax Department has sent messages to taxpayers to deposit advance tax. Cautioning taxpayers, the Income Tax Department writes, “The Income Tax Department has received information about some important financial transactions during the Financial Year 2022-23 (Assessment Year 2023-24). These transactions will be displayed on the e-Campaign tab of the Compliance Portal.” You can go and see and deposit the entire advance tax carefully.” According to the tax department, you can access the Compliance Portal by login to https://eportal.incometax.gov.in/ and clicking on Annual Information Statement (AIS) in the Services tab. Click on the e-campaign tab in the Compliance Portal. After that, in the campaign type, you have to go to Significant Transaction.
Advice to the tax department to be polite!
According to Ved Jain, former president of ICAI, the Income Tax Department is making taxpayers aware to pay advance tax by March 15, 2023. It is a good thing to convey a message to taxpayers. But the text of the message has created fear and uneasiness among the taxpayers. The message from the Income Tax Department makes taxpayers feel as if they have done something wrong. Ved Jain says, financial transaction does not mean that it is necessary for taxpayers to pay advance tax. He has advised the tax department to be polite and courteous so that it can help in bridging the trust gap between taxpayers and the tax department.
Department should stop sending threatening messages
The posts of some chartered accountants are going viral on social media. Chirag Chauhan tweeted and asked the Income Tax Department to stop sending such intimidating bulk messages. He also said that doing a financial transaction does not mean that advance tax has to be paid.
Controversy happened last year as well
This is not the first time when objections are being expressed on the content of the income tax message. For the last year July Assessment 2022-23, when the tax department was sending messages to the taxpayers to file income tax returns, the tax department was also sending the message to http://www.incometax.gov. in but was talking about filing income tax return before July 31, 2022. Objection was also raised on this message of income tax.