IT department makes history with 49 lakh online ITRs filed in a single day: CBDT

New Delhi, Sep 2 (KNN) The Income Tax department has made history with a quantum jump in the e-filing of Income–Tax Returns (ITRs) with an all time high record of 49 lakh 29 thousand and 121 ITRs filed in a single day on August 31, 2019, said Ministry of Finance.

This has perhaps created a history as the tax administration nowhere in the world has achieved such huge online e-filing ITRs in a single day and that too so smoothly; with the IT department actively interacting with taxpayers on social media to help them resolve their grievances and e-filing related queries and getting accolades in return, it added.

Releasing the data on e-filing of ITRs for which last date of submission was August 31, 2019, the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) said that this is a remarkable achievement as taxpayers are experiencing a whole new facet of the I-T department which is not only taxpayers’ friendly but also is of a facilitator providing informational assistance with the pre-filled forms and handholding e-filers besides being proactively responsive on social media to help and guide taxpayers.

It stated that setting new records in e-filing on August 31, 2019, the peak filing rate per second was at 196 ITRs and peak filing rate per minute was at 7447 ITRs while peak filing rate per hour was at 3,87,571 ITRs. 

The Information Security team of IT department thwarted over 2205 malicious attacks on the website aimed at disrupting services in the peak period, it added.

It further added that out of the 5.65 Cr ITRs filed so far, 3.61 Cr ITRs have been verified. A large number of taxpayers about 2.86 Cr (79%) have opted for e-verification, mostly using Aadhaar OTP. The I-T Department intends to carry out campaigns to increase awareness about e-verification of ITRs where verification is still pending.

Taxpayers’ grievances on e-Nivaran, email and on call centre were responded immediately with a turnaround time for twitter being 4 hrs on queries related to e-filing, it added.

CBDT also issued two circulars to clarify issues raised by taxpayers, ensuring that taxpayer anxieties were allayed. Social media using Twitter was effectively used to counter fake messages regarding extension of date apart from responding to taxpayers’ queries.

Taxpayers would also be educated about the need for linking their bank account with PAN to ensure direct credit of refund to taxpayer bank account through ECS and the requirement for linking PAN with Aadhaar by 30th September 2019.