E-Nivaran : Grievance Management System

Previously, the grievance redressal mechanism of the Income Tax Department was very cumbersome. The process to file a complaint used to move from helpline centers to websites to file online complaints. This system was not only slow and time-consuming but takes a long time for the settlement to happen resulting in dissatisfaction among the taxpayers.

In the year 2016, the Income Tax Department changed this grueling process. In place of this, the Income Tax Department comes up with a paperless process to address all the grievances of Income Taxpayers in a single place. The name of the system is E-Nivaran.

It is a joint initiative taken by the Finance Ministry and the Income Tax Department.  This system reduces the physical interference and paperwork to file complaints, and this has not made the system more useful for taxpayers but also for the Income Tax Staff.

Statistics show that the Income Tax Department is one of those organizations for which the government receives the maximum complaints. E-Nivaran has simplified this system to file complaints and ensure early resolution and fast-tracking.

Understanding the concept of E-Nivaran

It is a unified grievance management system set up by the department where it is the responsibility of the assessment officer to solve all the problems in a paperless environment. The system has been designed carefully and the main aim of the IT department is to completely change the existing system, making it easier and more convenient for the taxpayer.

E-Nivaran did the redressal in Hindi. By making use of the system of E-Nivaran, taxpayers can file complaints to NSDL, assessment officer, CPC-ITR, UTISL, CPS-TDS, E-filing team, and SBI refund banker.

The system was launched on 17th June 2016 to receive all grievances from different channels under a single window. Taxpayers and staff can use E-Nivaran to file, view and resolve all their disputes through the website.

E-Nivaran system: How it works

To ensure faster and easier resolution to tax-related complaints, the E-Nivaran system has been introduced based on the best technology. The system is a merger of both offline and online complaints and becomes one main complaint resolution system.

Online complaints are the ones that are registered through the website of the Income Tax Department whereas offline complaints are the ones for which the taxpayers visit the office of the Income Tax Department and register complaints.

Aim of setting up the system

The E- Nivaran system was set up with the goal that every complaint was directed to the concerned department and given the facility to track the complaint also. It ensures that the problem reaches to the right department and facilitates timely resolution.

An Efficient System

The Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances submitted a report on the management of tax grievances which showed that only 1 out of 10 complaints were resolved within 2 months. 

A few important points about the new system are:

• There is a separate window in this system for grievance redressal in the Income Tax Business application.
• This system has been designed so that it can record the source of the grievance and continues to track till it is solved completely which ensures timely redressal.
• The website makes sure that any grievance related to any section or domain of the Income Tax Department is sent quickly to the designated department.
• The Central Board of Direct Taxes has allotted a fixed quota of grievances to the top officers to ensure proper monitoring and tracking from their source to the final settlement.

How has E-Nivaran solved the issue?

• E-Nivaran is a new and smart electronic platform that has been created by the Income Tax Department and the government of India to ensure faster and timely resolution of the problems of the taxpayer.
• It is a high-end technology-based system, E- Nivaran tends to provide a complete solution to solve all the grievances of the taxpayers in a simplified and systematic manner. Online and offline complaints are integrated into the central system to avoid duplicity.
•  It also has a process set up that will automatically make the problem reach the designated department.
•  The system also provides the taxpayer the facility to track the status of their complaint and get updates on the same.
• To ensure the timely resolution of all the problems, the assessment officer monitors the complaints that have been registered on the platform.
•  The system is well developed and takes account of most problems of taxpayers. 
• The system is simple to use and does not require extensive use of computers and thus, can be used by anyone with basic knowledge of computers and the internet.

Steps to use E- Nivaran

• You need to go to the website, https://www.incometax.gov.in/iec/foportal/
• If you are a registered user, use your PAN Card as a username and the password to log in. Else you can click on the ‘Register Yourself’ option. Grievances can also be submitted without logging in.
• After logging in, click on the E-Nivaran Tab which is on the right side of the top navigation bar.
  
• This tab can be used to submit a grievance, know the status, and view any grievance that was submitted previously.
• When you click on submit a grievance, a pop-up appears listing the exceptional cases for which the grievances cannot be submitted. You can only proceed once you agree to these
• After submitting your grievance, an OTP is sent to you for authentication. You need to validate by entering the OTP.
• The website generates an acknowledgment number that can be used for tracking your application further. You can track the status using that acknowledgment number in the Grievance Status.

Time is taken for redressal

The aim of the Central Board of Direct Taxes is to give a reasonable solution to all the registered grievances within 30 days after the complaint has been received. It is convenient as the problems are handled online.

Problems with E-Nivaran

The complaint related to the matter that comes under the jurisdiction of the Central Board of Direct Taxes and Finance Ministry can be filed under E- Nivaran. Any problem related to PAN cards, and IT return scrutiny can be filled and easily solved under this system.

The Income Tax Business Application platform has been used to launch the E-Nivaran and the service is also available on www.incometaxindia.gov.in which is the website of the IT department.

Complaints or grievances that can be submitted through E- Nivaran:

Problems relating to the following can be submitted to the Assessing Officer using the online E-Nivaran system:

• Non-completion of ITR processing
• Non-receipt of Income Tax Refund
• Rectification return pending with Assessment Officer
• The wrong outstanding tax demand
• Miscellaneous application pending
• Deactivation or transfer of PAN

Queries on income tax returns and related to the following matters can be sent to CPC-ITR using the paperless E-Nivaran system:

• Rejection, non-receipt, previous ITR, or any other matter related to ITR-V
• Processing of Income tax returns
• Correction in ITR
• Refund

Issues under section 139(9) for matters related to defective returns

• Income tax notices and demand under section 143
• Request for intimation orders

For the following matters, queries can be sent to CPC TDS using the E-Nivaran system

• KYC
• TDS Statement
• Form 16 and Form 16(A)
• TDS on sale of property
• Form 26 AS
• Rectification of details related to Book Identification Number and Challan

The following complaints regarding the e-filing portal can also be submitted on the E-Nivaran system:

• Profile changes
• Registration on the e-filing portal
• Verification of income tax returns and EVC
• Filing of forms and income tax returns
• PIN, OTP, and login-related issues

For the following matters, the complaint can be sent to the refund banker through the E-Nivaran system:

• If the income tax refund is credited to a wrong account
• The refund issued or paid by the Income Tax Department but not received in the account
• Payment of the refund to the legal heir of a dead person
• TIN-NSDL refund status missing
• Misuse of login credentials
• The discrepancy in the refund amount

For any matters that are related to the PAN, the complaint can be sent to UTIITSL or NSDL:

• Application of PAN
• Allotment of the same PAN number to different entities or individuals
• Issues related to the delivery of PAN Card
• Incorrect details in PAN Card

For the following matters, issues can be sent to CPC for rectification and demand:

• If you have not received the rectification orders
• Rectification not considered
• Refund adjustment and interest on demand pending
• Refund adjusted and demand canceled
• Demand canceled by AO but still open
• Notice received but no outstanding demand

It needs to be noted that for any matters which are related to the judgment passed by the court, RTI general grievances and suggestions to the Foreign government are not taken into consideration as grievances as they cannot be filed on the E- Nivaran system. All details in the form are auto-filled.

At the time of sending grievances, all taxpayers need to ensure that all details are correct. If they are not correct, can update them in your profile settings.