Prime Minister launches “Transparent Taxation – Honoring the Honest” platform

News: Prime Minister has launched the platform called “Transparent Taxation – Honoring the Honest”.

Facts:

• Aim: To bring transparency in income tax systems and empower taxpayers.
• Features: The main features of the platform are faceless assessment, faceless appeal and taxpayer charter.
• Faceless Assessment: It aims to eliminate the interface between the taxpayer and the income tax department.
  • There will be no need for the taxpayer to visit the income tax office or the officer.
  • The selection of a taxpayer is possible through systems using analytics and Artificial Intelligence.
  • The system abolishes territorial jurisdiction.A taxpayer may belong to a particular city but the assessment order, review and the finalisation will take place in different cities.
• Faceless Appeal: Under the system, appeals will be randomly allotted to any officer in the country.The identity of the officer deciding the appeal will remain unknown.
  • The taxpayer will also not be required to visit the income tax office or the officer and the appellate decision will be team-based and reviewed.
• Taxpayer Charter: This outlines the rights and responsibilities of both tax officers and taxpayers.