Once your income tax return is processed, the intimation will show the status of your return. This intimation will show you whether you have any tax due, no pending tax, or refund dues. However, you may make errors while filing the income tax return. The intimation will display these errors and show the calculation made by the department.
In such cases, the processing may result in an income tax due or reduction of refund claimed. The errors may include:
- Factual errors such as nature of income, deduction, tax challan number, etc.
- Arithmetical errors such as mistakes in tax credit for advance tax and TDS/TCS.
- Clerical errors such as disclosure of the type of return, gender, etc.
- Legal errors such as omission to disclose data as per applicable law.
You can correct these errors in your income tax return online.
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Stepwise procedure for online rectification:
1. Login to the e-filing portal https://www.incometaxindiaefiling.gov.in/home with your registered PAN (Permanent Account Number).
2. Go to the ‘e-File’ tab. From the drop-down, select ‘Rectification’.
3. In the next page, select type of order/intimation to be rectified and the assessment year. Click on ‘Continue’.
4. The next page will display the filing data for the assessment year chosen. You have to select ‘Request Type’.
5. If you wish to correct the data entered in the income tax return, then you should choose the option ‘Return data Correction (XML)’ and click on ‘Continue’. The image below shows the reasons for seeking rectification (choose up to four reasons).
Once you’ve selected the reason(s), you need to prepare an updated income tax return for uploading. You must quote the latest intimation reference number in the updated return.
6. The next page shows the chosen reasons for rectification of the income tax return and the respective schedules of the return. You must also update the relevant schedules in the income tax return. Finally, you have to upload the updated income tax return and submit it.
7. In case you choose ‘only Reprocess the return’, the portal will ask you to verify your tax credit claims as per form 26AS and submit for reprocessing.
You can select this option when there is no mistake in the income tax return, or the department has not processed it correctly. In such a case, the taxpayer can request a reprocessing of the return filed earlier.
8. If you select ‘Additional information for 234C’, then you can submit details of your income for the periods below for enabling calculation of interest (234C) for default in the payment of advance tax.
9. Upon submission of the rectification request, you will receive a transaction reference number.
You can track the status of the request with this reference number. Upon processing of the rectification request, an order of rectification under section 154 will be passed by the income tax department. The order will show the updated status of your income tax return.
For any clarifications/feedback on the topic, please contact the writer at sweta.dugar@cleartax.in
I am a Chartered Accountant by profession. I specialise in personal taxes and corporate income tax matters. I am an avid reader and track developments in financial markets, economy and other market developments.
