Made a mistake while paying income tax? Here’s how you can rectify

When you pay advance tax or self-assessment tax, the amount so paid reflects in Form 26AS. However, while making such payments, it is important to select the correct financial year and code of tax payment. If there is any mistake while choosing the financial year or code of tax payment, there will be a mismatch between the amount actual tax paid and the amount reflected in Form 26AS. As a result, you cannot claim the credit for the taxes paid when filing an income tax return (ITR).

How is income tax paid?

The income tax department allows the online and offline modes of payment of advance tax and self-assessment tax. The taxpayer can visit the authorised bank branch and pay taxes. Online tax payment is allowed through the NSDL website. 

What is the time frame to make corrections?

If you are paying taxes by visiting the bank branch, you are permitted to make the challan corrections with the bank within the below timeframe:

• Amount of tax – within seven days from challan deposit date
• Assessment year – within seven days from challan deposit date
• Major head code – within three months from challan deposit date
• Minor head code – within three months from challan deposit date
• PAN of the taxpayer – within seven days from challan deposit date
• Nature of payment – within three months from challan deposit date

One should reach out to the bank within the said time frame and request corrections.  

Conditions to make challan corrections through bank

However, there are certain conditions to make changes from the bank:

1. You cannot make name corrections.
2. Correction of tax payment code (minor code) and assessment year together is not allowed.

iii. You can correct PAN only if the name matches the name as per the new PAN.

1. You can change the amount only if the correction amount is the amount that is received by the bank and credited to the government account.
2. For a single challan, correction is allowed only once. 
3. There is no partial correction. If even one of the fields fails the correction criteria, the entire request is rejected.

How to make corrections?

You can make the challan corrections by requesting to the bank from where payment is made. To make the request, attach a copy of the original challan counterfoil along with the request form. One should make a separate request for each challan.

The new income tax portal allows challan corrections through the “Challan Correction’ service. However, this service is not yet active for taxpayers. Once this service is enabled, you can correct the challan mistakes online via the income tax e-filing portal.

If the window period is over for challan correction through banks, the assessee can request a correction from their assessing officer. 

How to know your assessing officer?

To know your jurisdictional assessing officer, follow the below steps:-

1. Go to the income tax e-filing portal website at www.incometax.gov.in.
2. Under ‘Quick Links’, select ‘Know AO’.
3. Enter your PAN and mobile number and proceed for verification through OTP.
4. Enter the OTP received on your registered mobile number and validate.

The screen will display the details of your assessing officer along with your email ID and office address.

You can send an email to request corrections in challan details or visit their office for correction.

For any clarifications/feedback on the topic, please contact the writer at namita.shah@cleartax.in

Namita Shah

I’m a chartered accountant and a functional CA writer by profession.  Reading and travelling in free time enhances my creativity in work. I enjoy exploring my creative side, and so I keep myself engaged in learning new skills.