Last minute chaos to file I-T returns

Featured Blog

Rajdeep Sardesai

26/11: Terror comes precariously close

Featured Slideshows

New Delhi: The deadline for filing income tax returns for salaried employees is just around the corner. As CNN-IBN found out, the race to file returns is finally underway.

"I can’t understand where to file the returns and in which queue I should go (Kahaan Sir? Samajh nahin paa raha hoon. Kis queue mein jaana hai?) ," says one taxpayer Srikant Lakhanpal's.

It's the first time Srikant Lakhanpal's filing his tax returns.

But Srikant's got some help this time from the I-T department. In order to prevent the last minute chaos, the department this year, has organised special camps where salaried employees and pensioners can file their returns by the 31st of July.

So - after some confusion and some panic it's finally time to rejoice.

Srikant says, “When I was coming, I was very scared. I thought it would take 3-4 hours. But it got over within half an hour.”

If you miss the July 31st deadline, you'll have to pay interest at the rate of 1 per cent of the payable tax per month. But most still prefer to cut it fine.

The I-T department says over half of Delhi's salaried taxpayers file their returns towards the end of July. That's close to 4 lakh people in just 5 days.

The I-T department has also designated around 2000 post offices across the country where returns can be filed. But it's centres like this one in Pragati Maidan in New Delhi that are the busiest.

Chief Commissioner, I-T, Delhi, A K Srivastava says, ”We have opened counters for assistance. We have also provided for medical assistance. We have a separate counter for senior citizens too."

But its still not exactly smooth sailing for everyone. Regular taxpayers say that things are better this year.