Union Budget 2018: Govt to roll out income tax e-assessment

The government introduced e-assessment in 2016 on a pilot basis and extended it to 102 cities in 2017.

The government has proposed to amend the Income Tax Act to reduce interface between the I-T department and taxpayers by widening the scope of e-assessment for greater efficiency and transparency.

tax electronic filing concept - a word cloud on a vintage slate blackboard with a cup of coffee (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

The government had introduced e-assessment in 2016 on a pilot basis and extended it to 102 cities in 2017 with the aim to cut down the interface between the I-T department and the taxpayers.

“With the experience gained so far, we are now ready to roll out the e-assessment across the country,” finance minister Arun Jaitley said in his Budget speech for 2018-19 tabled in Parliament on Thursday.

“Accordingly, I propose to amend the Income-tax Act to notify a new scheme for assessment where 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 said.

The e-assessment will transform the age-old assessment procedure of the Income Tax department and the manner in which they interact with taxpayers and other stakeholders, Jaitley added.