E-filing of Tax return signs up an increase of 19%. There have actually been some incorrect reports in media referring to reduction in varieties of Income Tax Returns (ITR) e-filed throughout Financial Year (F.Y.) 2018-19 as compared to F.Y. 2017-18 This is factually incorrect, due to the fact that the figures for F.Y. 2017-18 and F.Y. 2018-19 are not directly comparable.
47 crore ITRs were submitted for Assessment Year (A.Y.) 2017-18(the present year).68 crore ITRs were e-filed which consisted of 6.49 crore ITRs of present A.Y. 2018-19 marking a boost of nearly 19%.
14 crore ITRs for A.Y. 2017-18 were submitted. Thus, the evident reduction in the number of ITRs filed throughout F.Y. 2018-19 relating to earlier years was due to an amendment in Area 139( 5) of the Income-tax Act, 1961 brought in vide Financing Act, 2017, w.e.f. 01.14 crore ITRs pertaining to A.Y. 2017-18 were filed throughout F.Y. 2018-19 as these were the revised ITRs for the relevant A.Y. which might just be submitted due to change in law and no other ITR of any earlier A.Y. might be submitted in view of the changed provisions of law.
These figures are also offered in the Tab- > ‘Filing growth (A.Y.)’ on the e submitting site.
It is also stated that the number of paper ITRs for A.Y. 2017-18 was only 9.2 lakh (1.5% of overall ITRs filed) and the number of paper ITRs for A.Y. 2018-19 is 4.8 lakh (0.6% of total ITRs submitted). As per the above details, it is evident that the majority of the taxpayers have steadily switched to e-filing which is clear from the dwindling varieties of paper returns filed for A.Y. 2018-19 compared to earlier years.
