Assessment/ITR Verification

The last step of the Income Tax Return (ITR) filing process is verification. You have to file your ITR verification within 120 days of filing the tax return. If you don’t do so, then it means that you have not filed ITR.

These are the several ways in which you can electronically verify your ITR at the time of filing your ITR:

• Digital Signature Certificate (DSC) – Along with your ITR form, attach the signature file generated from DSC management utility.
• Aadhaar OTP – Enter the Aadhaar OTP you receive in your mobile number registered with UIDAI.
• Electronic Verification Code (EVC) using Prevalidated Bank Account Details, or using Prevalidated Demat Account Details – Enter the EVC received in the mobile number registered with Bank or Demat Account respectively. Validity of such EVC is 72 hours from the time of generation.

There is no requirement to send documents to the Income Tax Department if you want to verify your tax return electronically. If you verify your ITR using an electronic method, then you will immediately receive the confirmation from the Tax Department regarding verification. Read more about e-verifying your return here.

Verifying at a later time

You can also choose to verify at a later time. If you don’t want to e-verify the ITR, you can instead send the signed ITR-Verification through normal or speed post to “Centralized Processing Center, Income Tax Department, Bengaluru – 560500”.

When you send the ITR-Verification via post to the Income Tax Department, they will send you an email confirming its arrival. This means your ITR is verified. The email will be sent to the email address you have registered in your e-filing account on the Income Tax Department’s e-filing website.

Income Tax Department’s Processing of Tax Returns

After the return is verified, either via e-verification or physically, the Income Tax Department will start processing your tax return. This is to ensure that the details filled by you are correct as per the Income Tax Act. The authorities may also cross-check details with you.

In order to make an income tax assessment, the Assessing Officer may serve a notice on any person who has not submitted an income tax return on time, to make the person submit the return. The Officer can also ask you to produce any accounts or documents required by the Officer. The income tax authorities can ask you to submit or verify any information.  Further, this may include a statement of all your assets and liabilities. ^{(( Section 142(1), Income Tax Act, 1961))}

Once the return is processed, the Department communicates it to your registered email ID. If there are errors, you have to explain further or correct the mistakes made while filing the original ITR.