Deal with taxpayers courteously: ITD

New Delhi: Concerned about complaints of high-handedness on the part of its officers, the Income Tax Department (ITD) has issued fresh directives, asking them to be courteous when dealing with taxpayers.

The city-based Directorate of Taxpayer Services (TPS) issued the directions on April 16.

The TPS Directorate was created a few years ago to ease dealings between the assessee and the taxman, and address the grievances of the taxpayer.

"The board (CBDT) has continuously impressed upon the officers in field formations the necessity of soft skills while dealing with taxpayers or their representatives.

"It is important that the behaviour of the officers and staff should be courteous, polite and above reproach," the directive said.

Neena Kumar, the Principal Director General of the TPS Directorate, has written a letter to all heads of the department in the country in this regard.

It added that the TPS Directorate and the CBDT received many complaints regarding "harassment, misconduct and high handedness of officers and staff".