Heirs may have to validate identity for I-T refund

My wife, an income-tax payee, expired in November 2016. I filed her I-T returns for AY 2017-18, signing her verification form on her behalf as her husband and legal heir, also mentioning my name and PAN details. The refund was then remitted to her account jointly held with me. Then in the last AY 2018-19, I filed her I-T returns. But this time, CPC Bangalore did refund and instead asked me to meet a particular department of I-T at BKC Bandra. There I was advised to submit an affidavit that I am her husband and a natural legal heir, which I did. Recently I lodged a grievance with CPC Bangalore saying that all requirements have been fulfilled and the refund due should now be paid into my wife's account. The CPC replied that the matter has been referred to ITO BKC Mumbai for validating my being the legal heir. Kindly advise what to do now.

All the processing at CPC Bangalore is done electronically. If any issue which requires manual consideration arises, it gets transferred to the jurisdictional income tax officer (ITO). You should meet the ITO and file a follow-up letter, giving reference of the letter and documents filed earlier before him. Also, enclose a screenshot of the message received from CPC that your case has been referred to ITO for validation of you being the legal heir. Alternatively, you can discuss your case with an advisor in Mumbai who can represent your case before the ITO.

Chirag Nangia, Director, Nangia Advisors (Andersen Global)

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