The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) has made it easier for taxpayers to authenticate electronic data in faceless assessment processes. The central government has revised the Income Tax Rules of 1962 to demand that records submitted through a taxpayer's account in the Income Tax Department's portal be deemed validated by the taxpayer using an electronic verification number (EVC).

Income Tax Act Amendment

-With this change, taxpayers will be considered authenticated by EVC for the purposes of section 144B(7)(i)(b) of the Income Tax Act, 1961 when they submit an electronic record by entering into their registered account in the Income Tax Department's designated portal.

-However, some people (such as corporations, tax audit cases, and so on) are obliged to authenticate electronic documents using a digital signature under current laws, and they are not allowed to use the simplified EVC authentication procedure. It has now been determined that even for this group of taxpayers, a simpler EVC authentication method would be available.

-Hence, the persons who are mandatorily required to authenticate electronic records by digital signature shall be deemed to have authenticated the electronic records when they submit the record through their registered account in the Income Tax Department's portal. The government will make legislative amendments in this regard in due course.

-Meanwhile, the CBDT has permitted the filing of tax settlement applications for a period up to January 31, by September 30. It has been decided that such an application can now be filed before the Interim Board for Settlement by taxpayers who have a pending case where filings could not be made earlier.

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