Govt scraps new I-T return form

NEW DELHI: Under severe attack from various quarters, including the Congress party, the government on Thursday said the new form introduced for filing Income Tax returns would be dropped from next year.

"The new four-page form which replaces the one-page "Naya Saral form" is meant for only this year and will only be optional for filing returns, Revenue Secretary K M Chandrasekhar said.

The salaried tax assessees have the option of filing Income Tax returns this year either in the existing Naya Saral form or the new form called '2F', he said, adding the government will come out with another form next year based on the feedback it receives this year.

Earlier, the government while notifying the new form 2F had said that it would be optional for this year and mandatory from next year with the withdrawal of Naya Saral form.

The move follows widespread criticism from tax experts and political parties, including the ruling Congress, who wanted the Saral form to remain simple and the new form simpler.

The new form next year could be a modified one based on the feedback the tax department receives or could be an improved version of either the existing Saral form or 2F, he said.

Giving a detailed rationale behind the form 2F, he said the new form was really "simple" and an attempt to make it self-explanatory and do away with all annexures including Form 16A providing details of tax deducted at source by the employer.