Now, use one-time password to file online I-T returns

The Income Tax Department on Monday launched its ambitious One Time Password (OTP) based e-filing verification system for taxpayers, thereby ending the practice of sending <g data-gr-id="28">paper</g> acknowledgement to its office in Bengaluru.

The facility can be accessed using internet banking, Aadhaar number, ATM and email. According to the rules notified in this regard by the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) today, any taxpayer, whose income is Rs 5 lakh or below per annum and has no refund claims, he or she can straightaway generate the 'Electronic Verification Code' (EVC) for e-filing and validating their Income Tax Return (ITR) through their registered mobile number and e-mail id with the department.

However, this most simplified <g data-gr-id="26">option,</g> will be subject to certain "restrictions" which will be prepared by the taxman based on the concerned taxpayer's "risk criteria and profile" in a case-to-case basis.

"This simply means that if the department has some adverse observation against the said PAN number with income less than Rs 5 lakh, he or she will not be allowed to do the verification directly through their email and mobile number alone and such cases will have to go through the other established procedures in this regard like <g data-gr-id="23">linkup</g> through Aadhaar database, internet <g data-gr-id="20">baking</g> or via the ATM," a senior <g data-gr-id="24">official</g> explained.