Income Tax e-filing website unavailable from February 3-5: Here's why
What's the story
The Income Tax department has announced that its e-filing portal will be temporarily unavailable from 2pm on February 3 to 6am on February 5, due to scheduled maintenance activities. During this downtime, taxpayers are advised to avoid accessing the portal or conducting any tax-related activities. The I-T department announced this suspension a day after Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman highlighted the government's efforts to improve taxpayer services during the reading of the Interim Budget statement.
Quote
Here's what the I-T department said
In a post on socia media platform X, the I-T department said, "Please note that due to a scheduled maintenance activity involving technical upgradation of the system, taxpayer services on the e-filing portal will be restricted. Kindly plan your activities accordingly."
Improved processes
Recent initiatives and improvements in taxpayer services
During her budget speech, Sitharaman said the revamped tax system provides more efficiency and transparency. She highlighted that faceless assessments and appeals have streamlined the process. Updated returns, Form 26AS, and pre-filled forms, she said, have already slashed processing times from 93 days in 2013-14 to just 10 days now. These steps showcase the government's commitment to user-friendly and efficient tax experiences, the minister noted.