E-filing of returns must for people earning over Rs 10 lakh

However,digital signature will not be mandatory for such taxpayers and they can also transmit the data in the return electronically and thereafter submit the verification of the return. E-filing for such assessees was optional till 2010-11.

The income tax department had received a record 1.64 crore e-returns in 2011-12.

Currently,business houses with receipts of Rs 60 lakh and professionals with income of Rs 15 lakh are mandatorily required to e-file their return with digital signature.

As on March 31,2012,there were 19,684,592 tax payers who had registered for e-filing. The ministry said,e-filing is an easy,fast and secure method of filing income tax return and the processing for e-filed return is faster and taxpayers get their refunds,if due,quickly.

The electronically filed returns are processed at Centralised Processing Centre CPC,Bangalore,and two new CPCs are coming up in Manesar and Pune. The department also provides some value-added services like tracking of refunds,viewing tax credit

status,e-mail and SMS alerts regarding status of processing and refunds to taxpayers who e-file their returns.