One mobile number or email ID can now be used for 10 Income Tax Accounts

CBDT has released a press release on 4th July 2014 in which it has been mentioned that now One mobile number or email ID can be used for a maximum of 10 user accounts as the Primary Contact- Mobile Number and Email ID in e-Filing.

The press released has been given below:

The Department will send separate One Time Passwords (OTP) also referred as PIN on the mobile and email provided by the taxpayer. The OTPs have to be entered by the taxpayer after logging into their e-filing account to authenticate the same. The OTPs will remain valid for 24 hours within which the taxpayer has to complete the process. For ‘Foreign/ NRI’ taxpayers, the OTP validation of the email ID would be sufficient.

Validation of email and mobile numbers has been introduced to facilitate taxpayers as in many cases incorrect emails and mobile numbers have been provided and taxpayers did not receive important communication from the Department. Further, it has been observed that in many cases taxpayers are not able to reset their password since the new temporary password from the Department may be sent to their registered email which may be different from the taxpayer’s personal email, e.g. email of their intermediary.

This is a one-time process to validate the mobile number and email ID. However, whenever the taxpayer changes the Mobile Number or email ID in their Profile, the process will be repeated to ensure that the particulars provided are correct. Further, this validation will ensure that Department can send an OTP for resetting the password used for Login in case the taxpayer has forgotten the password.

One mobile number or email ID can be used for a maximum of 10 user accounts as the Primary Contact- Mobile Number and Email ID in e-Filing. This is to ensure that family members and related business concerns (not exceeding 10 separate users) not having personal email or mobile can be covered under a common email or mobile, but in general taxpayers should have their own unique email ID and Mobile registered with the Department.

The taxpayer can enter any other person’s email or mobile number in addition, as a Secondary Contact (without any restriction on the number of user accounts linked as a Secondary Contact). Using “Profile Settings -> My Profile” the taxpayer can select to include the Secondary Contact to also receive emails, alerts etc.

It is advised that the emails and SMS from the Income tax Department may be included in the ‘safe list’ or ‘white list’ to prevent the communications from the Department from being blocked or rejected or sent to Spam folder. Taxpayers are also advised not to share their user-id and password of their e-filing account with others to prevent un-authorized access.Taxpayers can reset their password using the ‘Forgot Password?’ link while logging in to their e-filing account and by providing the necessary details.

The Department requests the cooperation of all taxpayers for completing this validation process at the earliest for a smooth and convenient return filing process.

(Rekha Shukla)

Commissioner of Income Tax

(Media & Technical Policy)

Official Spokesperson, CBDT – 04th July, 2014

THE NEW PROPOSAL

Action: One mobile number or email id can be used for 10 accounts as primary contact Benefit: This will help file returns of family members who          may/may not have a personal e-mail id Action: Emails and SMSes from I-T Department may be  included in the safe list or white list Benefit: Communication from the department will not end up in spam or get rejected Action: One-time password will be sent to cell and email Benefit: Will alert the income-tax assessee if  there are any changes being made  to the account

"Although CBDT has increased the limit from 4 to 10 but this shall also pose a problem for various consultants or for people who file tax returns for various people, Since one email address or mobile number cannot be used for more than 10 accounts.

To download the official notification click here