Amendments in the income-tax act proposed to notify a new scheme for assessment in electronic mode.

E-assessment to be rolled-out across the country to transform age-old assessment procedure

In the General Budget 2018-19 presented in Parliament today, the Union Minister for Finance and Corporate Affairs, Shri Arun Jaitley proposed to amend the Income-tax Act to notify a new scheme for assessment. Shri Jaitley said the assessment will be done in electronic mode which will almost eliminate person to person contact leading to greater efficiency and transparency. The Finance Minister added that the e-assessment system was introduced in 2016 on a pilot basis. In 2017, it was extended to 102 cities with the objective of reducing the interface between the department and the taxpayers. “With the experience gained so far, we are now ready to roll out the E-assessment across the country, which will transform the age-old assessment procedure of the income tax department and the manner in which they interact with taxpayers and other stakeholders” Shri Jaitley said.

E-assessment scheme shifts income-tax assessments to electronic mode, reducing taxpayer-officer interface and enhancing transparency. Amendments to the income-tax statute propose notification of a scheme for assessment in electronic mode, enabling assessments, notices, and interactions to be conducted digitally to reduce direct taxpayer-officer interface and improve administrative efficiency and transparency through a nationwide roll-out following pilot expansion.