Form for IT returns not 'user- friendly'

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI, AUG. 23. The Finance Ministry has now said that the `saral' form for income tax returns was not `saral' (easy) and, in fact, not at all user-friendly. The `saral' form was introduced by the Ministry about two years ago with great fanfare, claiming that it would be easy (`saral') for the taxpayer to file returns.

According to the Finance Ministry - which is now responding to criticism that the new format for filing of income tax returns which would be applicable from next year is very complicated - the existing form 2D was not really a saral (easy) form. ``Merely doing away with annexures or schedules giving headwise computation of income does not make a form simple to fill in. In fact, the form presumed that the taxpayer would be fully conversant with the law and capable of computing his taxable income after claiming correct deductions and allowances, etc.''

The Ministry also adds that the form did not require the taxpayer to furnish any information and details of the nature and sources of income and its computation under different heads.

About the new form, the Ministry has said that the fears that taxpayers would be required to fill in 10 to 12 pages was mis- conceived. The different pages of the returns correspond to different sources of income and in most cases a taxpayer would not be required to fill in all the schedules. A salaried taxpayer, who does not have any other income, would be required to fill on only three of the pages, the Ministry has added.

The suggestion to make the new form applicable for persons having income above Rs. 1.5 lakhs and leaving it open for taxpayers below that limit to continue to use the old `saral' form is under consideration, the Ministry has said.

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Section  : National
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