By TIOL News Service

NEW DELHI, FEB 21, 2014: BUOYED by the success in the first round the Income Tax Department has now completed the second round of data matching which has identified additional 21.75 lakh potential non-filers. The Department has sent letters to the 50,000 potential non filers in the first batch. The information relating to the 21.75 lakh new non-filers has been made available on the ‘Compliance Module’ on the e-filing portal of the Income Tax Department. The information will be shown only to the specific PAN holder when the PAN holder logs into e-filing portal at https://incometaxindiaefiling.gov.in. The PAN holder will be able to submit the response electronically and keep a print-out of the submitted response for record purposes.

Earlier the Income Tax Department had initiated a business intelligence project in February, 2013 to identify PAN holders who have not filed Income Tax Return and about whom specific information is available in Annual Information Return (AIR), Central Information Branch (CIB) data and TDS/TCS Returns. In the first round of data matching, 12.19 lakh non-filers were identified. Letters have been sent in these cases by the Compliance Management Cell and Assessing officers seeking the response of the taxpayer. The results of this initiative is very encouraging and 5,36,220 returns have been received from the target segment. Self assessment tax of Rs.1017.87 Cr. and advance tax of Rs. 898.22 Cr. has also been paid by the target segment.

While the Government urges all tax payers to disclose their true income and pay appropriate taxes, the Tax Department has decicded to continue to pursue the non filers vigorously till all the high potential non filers are covered.