ITR portal update:
Now view if and when an I-T official saw or reviewed your tax notice submissions, know how it benefits taxpayers
Oct 15, 2025
Synopsis
The Income Tax Department now shows when officials view your tax notice submissions online. This new feature confirms your documents have been seen. It helps taxpayers monitor progress and prevents claims of non-consideration. This move enhances transparency and accountability in the faceless tax system. It also aids in tracking officer performance and improving efficiency.
The new feature also identifies delays and uses analytics to evaluate performance and improves efficiency in faceless assessments and appeals, says Bimal Jain, Founder, A2Z Taxcorp LLP.
The Income Tax (I-T) Department has introduced a new feature on its website which shows the exact date and time when the Assessing Officer (AO) or Commissioner of Income Tax (Appeals) [CIT(A)] has viewed or reviewed your tax notice submission in faceless proceedings.
The new feature ensures taxpayers know when their response has been accessed by the tax authority.
Why is Income Tax Department’s new feature important for taxpayers?
Bimal Jain, Founder, A2Z Taxcorp LLP, says that the new feature gives confirmation and assurance that the submission has actually been seen by the Income Tax officer. “It removes uncertainty, helps monitor progress, and prevents allegations of non-consideration or delay in proceedings,” says Bimal.
Mihir Tanna, Associate Director, Direct Tax, SK Patodia & Associates LLP Chartered Accountants, is yet to see the new feature on the I-T Department's portal. But he says if the said feature is available on the tax portal, it will help certain taxpayers in understanding whether a reminder notice or an order has been passed after considering the last submission.
What can be the tax portal's new feature’s practical implications for taxpayers?
Mihir says that the new feature can address some important issues such as-
1) Recently, we have received reminder notices for our clients for not replying to notices. However, submissions were actually filed against the previous notice. We understand that the issue arises because we have replied in the last reminder notice tab and not replied with the same submission against the original notice tab, which is the 2nd last tab on the portal.
(2) In the month of March, when assessment proceedings get time-barred, certain taxpayers face time constraints in replying to a show cause notice, and the assessing officer needs to close the proceedings, as the last date for completing the assessment officer is nearer.
Mihir says when he checked with an income tax officer, it was likely that the date of downloading the submission would appear as the date of verification of ITR.
How does I-T Department’s new feature improve transparency and accountability of the taxman?
Bimal says that the Income Tax Department’s new feature creates a digital audit trail showing officer activity.
“It ensures greater procedural transparency and timely action and makes the assessment and appeal process more accountable,” says Bimal.
“Overall, it’s an impactful reform — promoting transparency, accountability, and trust in the faceless tax administration system,” Bimal adds.
Can it help track internal accountability and officer performance?
Bimal says the timestamp data enables the I-T Department to track officer responsiveness.
“The new feature also identifies delays and uses analytics to evaluate performance and improves efficiency in faceless assessments and appeals,” says Bimal.
Will I-T Department’s new feature help build trust between taxpayers and the Department?
Bimal says that the new feature enhances confidence and trust by showing openness in handling faceless proceedings and demonstrates the Department’s commitment to fair and transparent governance.
[The Economic Times]
