In a major initiative towards revamping the Income Tax Act, 1961, the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) has launched a portal to invite suggestions from the public. This step follows the announcement made by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman during the Union Budget 2024-25, where she proposed a comprehensive review of the Income Tax Act.

The portal, which went live on October 6, 2024, is accessible via the e-filing platform of the Income Tax department. Public stakeholders, experts, and taxpayers can submit their suggestions by entering their name and mobile number, followed by an OTP validation.

A webpage has been launched on the e-filing portal, which can be accessed at the link: https://eportal.incometax.gov.in/iec/foservices/#/pre-login/ita-comprehensive-review

According to an official government statement, the objective of this review is to "make the Act concise, clear, and easy to understand, which will reduce disputes, litigation, and provide greater tax certainty to taxpayers". Public has been invited to submit their inputs in four categories: simplification of language, litigation reduction, compliance reduction, and addressing redundant or obsolete provisions.

Stakeholders are required to mention the relevant section or rule of the Income-tax Act, 1961 or Income-tax Rules, 1962, in their suggestions. The CBDT has constituted an internal committee to oversee the review process, ensuring that the feedback aligns with the goal of streamlining and modernising India's tax laws.

Moneycontrol had earlier on September 26 said that CBDT will soon launch a utility to seek public comments online for comprehensive review of the Income Tax Act inviting suggestions.