I-T Dept snooping on social media posts is a 'misconception', says CBDT Chairman
CBDT Chairman P C Mody said that the tax department does not need to undertake such measures as it can obtain various information and data sets from multiple agencies and possesses a strong data analytics setup
- Jul 14, 2019,
- Updated Jul 14, 2019 4:55 PM IST
It is a "misconception" to think that the Income Tax Department is snooping on social media posts related to exotic foreign tours or possession of expensive goods to check undisclosed income, a top official has said.
CBDT Chairman P C Mody told PTI during an interview that the tax department does not need to undertake such measures as it is empowered to obtain various information and data sets from multiple agencies and possesses a strong data analytics setup to work out the source and destination of high-value transactions.
He was asked if the taxman or the I-T Department scans Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and other social media handles of people to obtain secret information about their income and spending behaviour as reported in the past in multiple media reports.
It has been reported that the taxman will keep a secret eye on social media posts to find out who is undertaking an expensive foreign trip or is flaunting their expensive vehicle or other goods over these platforms, in order to ensure such people or entities pay their due taxes.
"That is a misconception. Why do we need to go on (social media platforms)?," the CBDT boss told the news agency.
Direct tax collection target fixed at Rs 13.35 lakh crore; is achievable: CBDT chairman
Those mandated to file returns include people spending more than Rs 2 lakh on a foreign trip or depositing Rs 1 crore in a year in a bank account or paying electricity bill of more than Rs 1 lakh in a year.
The CBDT chief said these measures were brought in after data analytics found high spenders were probably not filing their returns.
"If someone is spending this much, should not their income be taxable? One should see the entire ecosystem around this...," he said.
The aim is to create a tax compliant society where the honest tax payer is honoured and respected and the tax evader faces the law, he said.
Mody said it is with this aim that the government and the CBDT has decided to usher in the regime of anonymised assessment where the taxpayer and the assessing officer will not meet each other and the entire tax proceeding would be conducted online.
"That infrastructure for faceless assessment is already provided for. It may need some sort of an augmentation which will definitely be done," he said.
It is a "misconception" to think that the Income Tax Department is snooping on social media posts related to exotic foreign tours or possession of expensive goods to check undisclosed income, a top official has said.
CBDT Chairman P C Mody told PTI during an interview that the tax department does not need to undertake such measures as it is empowered to obtain various information and data sets from multiple agencies and possesses a strong data analytics setup to work out the source and destination of high-value transactions.
He was asked if the taxman or the I-T Department scans Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and other social media handles of people to obtain secret information about their income and spending behaviour as reported in the past in multiple media reports.
It has been reported that the taxman will keep a secret eye on social media posts to find out who is undertaking an expensive foreign trip or is flaunting their expensive vehicle or other goods over these platforms, in order to ensure such people or entities pay their due taxes.
"That is a misconception. Why do we need to go on (social media platforms)?," the CBDT boss told the news agency.
Direct tax collection target fixed at Rs 13.35 lakh crore; is achievable: CBDT chairman
Those mandated to file returns include people spending more than Rs 2 lakh on a foreign trip or depositing Rs 1 crore in a year in a bank account or paying electricity bill of more than Rs 1 lakh in a year.
The CBDT chief said these measures were brought in after data analytics found high spenders were probably not filing their returns.
"If someone is spending this much, should not their income be taxable? One should see the entire ecosystem around this...," he said.
The aim is to create a tax compliant society where the honest tax payer is honoured and respected and the tax evader faces the law, he said.
Mody said it is with this aim that the government and the CBDT has decided to usher in the regime of anonymised assessment where the taxpayer and the assessing officer will not meet each other and the entire tax proceeding would be conducted online.
"That infrastructure for faceless assessment is already provided for. It may need some sort of an augmentation which will definitely be done," he said.