'If You Don't Act Now': CA Accuses I-T Dept Of Using Threatening Language In Notice

A Chartered Accountant has accused the Income Tax Department (ITD) of using "threatening” language in a recent communication sent to a taxpayer. In a social media post, CA Ruchita Vaghani called the incident concerning, noting that it could leave taxpayers in panic and demanded accountability.

"Dear Income Tax India, is this an intimation or a threat? Please clarify. As this is an intimation, wording should be polite and requesting the taxpayer to file ITR to avoid further consequences,” Vaghani said on X on Sunday.

She shared a screenshot of an email sent by the tax department, in which the authorities told the taxpayers that they have failed to report their “significant” transactions for FY2024-25.

“Until now, we have treated your failure to file your ITR as an error. However, if you don’t act now, we will treat it as a deliberate choice. That may mean your case is selected for detailed investigation,” the department’s mail read.

The identity of the taxpayer and the transaction value were intentionally hidden by the CA. She highlighted that there can be several genuine reasons for non-filing of returns, many of which may be beyond a taxpayer’s control. 

“There may be thousands of reasons for non-filing of ITR which may be beyond the control of the Taxpayer and this kind of wording may leave taxpayers in fear and absolute panic,” she said.

The CA suggested that the tax officials improve the style of their communication.

“Improve the wording. They are taxpayers not criminals or murderers. They pay their hard earned Money for the development of this country. Kindly use respectful and polite words in intimation and notice,” she added.

As the post gained traction on social media, several users echoed the chartered accountant’s concerns, agreeing that the department needed a more respectful, taxpayer-friendly approach.

“Day by day, they are hitting new lows. They need to fire the existing team and hire a PR team to bring back the lost image,” a user commented.

Expressing similar sentiments, another said: "This is a very unprofessional language from the department."

Recently, many taxpayers have received notices from the tax department regarding discrepancies in their income tax return filings. The department has asked these taxpayers to review the issues and file belated ITRs by Dec. 31.