E-filing of Income Tax Returns

I did my first e-filing (without digital signing) of tax returns in the AY(Assessment Year) 2011-12. And that seemed to be pretty easy for me. The interesting part is that you don’t have to depend on others to file your tax returns. For those who are trying to use it for the first time , here are the steps for the e-filing of ITR-1 form.

Ø  Select the appropriate form from the below site  https://incometaxindiaefiling.gov.in/portal/selectforms.do

Ø  Once you have selected which ITR form you need to fill , download it from https://incometaxindiaefiling.gov.in/portal/downloads.do

Ø  Fill your form offline and generate the XML file . The XML file can be created by clicking on the generate button in the excel form.The created XML file will be automatically named like ITRn_.xml (eg. ITR1_XXXXXNNNNX.xml

Ø  Go to the website  https://incometaxindiaefiling.gov.in/portal/index.do   .Register in the site by entering your PAN card number as the user ID and with some password.

While registering you are supposed to enter the same name as when you filled your PAN application form.If the registration fails – saying that your name doesn’t match with the PAN number , then it means that you have entered a different name from the PAN application form. So next what you need to do is get your correct name(as registered in PAN department or as you filled in your PAN application form) from your PAN number.

            For getting that go to the site  http://www.simpletaxindia.org/2007/10/know-your-pan-address.html .  From this site you will get your PAN address from your PAN no:

Ø  Login and select the assessment year (eg. AY 2011-12) under the “SUBMIT RETURN” on the left side panel.

Ø  This will lead to the  ‘upload your returns’ page where in you need to select your respective ITR form .

            And select “No” for the question ‘Do you want to Digitally Sign the File’

Ø  By clicking next you will have to upload your XML file.

Ø  On successful upload acknowledgement details would be displayed. Click on "Print" to generate printout of acknowledgement/ITR-V Form.

Ø  Incase the return is digitally signed, on generation of "Acknowledgement" the Return Filing process gets completed. You may take a printout of the Acknowledgement for your record.

Ø  Incase the return is not digitally signed, on successful uploading of e-Return, the ITR-V Form would be generated which needs to be printed by the tax payers. This is an acknowledgement cum verification form. A duly signed ITR-V form should be mailed to “Income Tax Department – CPC, Post Bag No - 1, Electronic City Post Office, Bengaluru - 560100, Karnataka, ” BY ORDINARY POST OR SPEED POST ONLY   within 120 days of transmitting the data electronically. 

ITR-V sent by Registered Post or Courier will not be accepted. 
No Form ITR-V shall be received in any other office of the Income-tax Department or in any other manner. In case, Form ITR-V, is furnished after the above mentioned period, it will be deemed that the return in respect of which the Form ITR-V has been filed was never furnished and it shall be incumbent on the assessee to electronically re-transmit the data and follow it up by submitting the new Form ITR-V within 120 days.

This completes the Return filing process for non-digitally signed Returns.But you will have to receive one acknowledgement email from CPC (Centralized Processing Center) Bangalore telling that they have received your signed copy of ITR-V.Once you receive that email you have successfully completed the e-filing of your returns !!!

Now if you have not received the acknowledgement email from CPC within some two weeks then you may have to resend the signed ITR-V form. So in order to make sure that we will get the Acknowledgement we need to follow certain ‘Dos and Dont's for printing and submitting of ITR-Vs to  ITD-CPC Bangalore’ .

Dos and Dont's for printing and submitting of ITR-Vs to  ITD-CPC Bangalore :

Please use Ink Jet /Laser printer to print the ITR-V Form. Avoid printing on Dot Matrix printer. The ITR-V Form should be printed only in black ink. Do not use any other ink option to print ITR V. Ensure that print out is clear and not light print/faded copy. Please do not print any water marks on ITR-V. The only permissible watermark is that of "Income tax Department"which is printed automatically on each ITR-V. The document that is mailed to CPC should be signed in original in BLUE INK. Photocopy of signatures will not be accepted. The signatures or any handwritten text should not be written on Bar code. Bar code and numbers below barcode should be clearly visible. Only A4 size white paper should be used. Avoid typing anything at the back of the paper. Perforated paper or any other size paper should be avoided. Do not use stapler on ITR V acknowledgement. In case you are submitting original and revised returns, do not print them back to back. Use two separate papers for printing ITR-Vs separately. More than one ITR-V can be sent in the same envelope. Please do not submit any annexures, covering letter, pre stamped envelopes etc. along with ITR-V. The ITR-V form is required to be sent to Post Bag No.1, Electronic City Post Office, Bengaluru, Karnataka-560100, by ordinary post or speedpost. ITR-Vs that do not conform to the above specifications may get rejected or acknowledgement of receipt may get delayed. To find out the status of ITR-V ,you can track it online in the website .The link is https://incometaxindiaefiling.gov.in/portal/Services.do?screen=itrvReceiptStatus