AADHAAR RELATED ARTICLES: 8432 - E-filing I-T returns is convenient, easy

In 2009, I became extremely concerned with the concept of Unique Identity for various reasons. Connected with many like minded highly educated people who were all concerned.

On 18th May 2010, I started this Blog to capture anything and everything I came across on the topic. This blog with its million hits is a testament to my concerns about loss of privacy and fear of the ID being misused and possible Criminal activities it could lead to.

In 2017 the Supreme Court of India gave its verdict after one of the longest hearings on any issue. I did my bit and appealed to the Supreme Court Judges too through an On Line Petition.

In 2019 the Aadhaar Legislation has been revised and passed by the two houses of the Parliament of India making it Legal. I am no Legal Eagle so my Opinion carries no weight except with people opposed to the very concept.

In 2019, this Blog now just captures on a Daily Basis list of Articles Published on anything to do with Aadhaar as obtained from Daily Google Searches and nothing more. Cannot burn the midnight candle any longer.

"In Matters of Conscience, the Law of Majority has no place"- Mahatma Gandhi

Ram Krishnaswamy

Sydney, Australia.

Aadhaar

The UIDAI has taken two successive governments in India and the entire world for a ride. It identifies nothing. It is not unique. The entire UID data has never been verified and audited. The UID cannot be used for governance, financial databases or anything. It’s use is the biggest threat to national security since independence. – Anupam Saraph 2018

When I opposed Aadhaar in 2010 , I was called a BJP stooge. In 2016 I am still opposing Aadhaar for the same reasons and I am told I am a Congress die hard. No one wants to see why I oppose Aadhaar as it is too difficult. Plus Aadhaar is FREE so why not get one ? Ram Krishnaswamy

First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win.-Mahatma Gandhi

In matters of conscience, the law of the majority has no place.Mahatma Gandhi

“The invasion of privacy is of no consequence because privacy is not a fundamental right and has no meaning under Article 21. The right to privacy is not a guaranteed under the constitution, because privacy is not a fundamental right.” Article 21 of the Indian constitution refers to the right to life and liberty -Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi

“There is merit in the complaints. You are unwittingly allowing snooping, harassment and commercial exploitation. The information about an individual obtained by the UIDAI while issuing an Aadhaar card shall not be used for any other purpose, save as above, except as may be directed by a court for the purpose of criminal investigation.”-A three judge bench headed by Justice J Chelameswar said in an interim order.

Legal scholar Usha Ramanathan describes UID as an inverse of sunshine laws like the Right to Information. While the RTI makes the state transparent to the citizen, the UID does the inverse: it makes the citizen transparent to the state, she says.

Good idea gone bad
I have written earlier that UID/Aadhaar was a poorly designed, unreliable and expensive solution to the really good idea of providing national identification for over a billion Indians. My petition contends that UID in its current form violates the right to privacy of a citizen, guaranteed under Article 21 of the Constitution. This is because sensitive biometric and demographic information of citizens are with enrolment agencies, registrars and sub-registrars who have no legal liability for any misuse of this data. This petition has opened up the larger discussion on privacy rights for Indians. The current Article 21 interpretation by the Supreme Court was done decades ago, before the advent of internet and today’s technology and all the new privacy challenges that have arisen as a consequence.

Rajeev Chandrasekhar, MP Rajya Sabha

“What is Aadhaar? There is enormous confusion. That Aadhaar will identify people who are entitled for subsidy. No. Aadhaar doesn’t determine who is eligible and who isn’t,” Jairam Ramesh

But Aadhaar has been mythologised during the previous government by its creators into some technology super force that will transform governance in a miraculous manner. I even read an article recently that compared Aadhaar to some revolution and quoted a 1930s historian, Will Durant.Rajeev Chandrasekhar, Rajya Sabha MP

“I know you will say that it is not mandatory. But, it is compulsorily mandatorily voluntary,” Jairam Ramesh, Rajya Saba April 2017.

August 24, 2017: The nine-judge Constitution Bench rules that right to privacy is “intrinsic to life and liberty”and is inherently protected under the various fundamental freedoms enshrined under Part III of the Indian Constitution

"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the World; indeed it's the only thing that ever has"

“Arguing that you don’t care about the right to privacy because you have nothing to hide is no different than saying you don’t care about free speech because you have nothing to say.” -Edward Snowden

In the Supreme Court, Meenakshi Arora, one of the senior counsel in the case, compared it to living under a general, perpetual, nation-wide criminal warrant.

Had never thought of it that way, but living in the Aadhaar universe is like living in a prison. All of us are treated like criminals with barely any rights or recourse and gatekeepers have absolute power on you and your life.

Announcing the launch of the # BreakAadhaarChainscampaign, culminating with events in multiple cities on 12th Jan. This is the last opportunity to make your voice heard before the Supreme Court hearings start on 17th Jan 2018. In collaboration with @no2uidand@rozi_roti.

UIDAI's security seems to be founded on four time tested pillars of security idiocy

1) Denial

2) Issue fiats and point finger

3) Shoot messenger

4) Bury head in sand.

God Save India

Wednesday, August 5, 2015

8432 - E-filing I-T returns is convenient, easy - Tribune India

Posted at: Aug 3 2015 2:01AM

E-filing I-T returns is convenient, easy

Amol Mishra

“Income tax returns are the most imaginative fiction being written today,” says, Herman Wouk, an American author. As soon as we talk of income tax returns, somewhere down the line, there is a strain in the brain. Well, not anymore, because you can file the return online now.

Earlier, one had to physically file the returns, tedious paper-work was involved and all in all, filing income tax returns was a very time -consuming process. Keeping this difficulty of the public in mind, Government has taken a step by starting e-filing of income tax returns.

What does e-filing of income tax returns mean?

E-filing of income tax return means filing income tax return electronically using internet from anywhere, anytime. It is mandatory to e-file the income tax return if the total income in the financial year is more than Rs 5 lakh. Income tax return can be e-filed in three ways, the first way is by digitally signing the Income tax return verification acknowledgement (ITR-V), second way is by signing and sending hard copy of ITR-V to CPC, Bangalore and third way is by using the new system of electronic verification code.

Taxpayers filing returns electronically without using digital signatures are required to send the signed copy of ITR-V acknowledgement to CPC, Bangalore within 120 days of filing the return. Taxpayers who have signed digitally are not required to send the ITR-V to CPC. Moreover, taxpayers can now file their income tax returns without any headache of sending the same to CPC, Bangalore using EVC i.e Electronic Verification Code. EVC means a code is generated for the purpose of electronic verification of the person furnishing the return of income. EVC will be a unique number linked to assessee’s PAN. It cannot be used for filing return of income of any other PAN. One EVC can be used to validate one return, irrespective, of assessment year or type of return. Taxpayers can generate EVC by any of the four methods, viz through net-banking, through Aadhaar number, through ATM or through e-filing website of income tax department. Let us understand these methods in detail:

Electronic verification code through net-banking: In this case, some specified banks registered with Income-tax Department provide direct access to the e-filing website to their accounts holders. By clicking on e-filing option, account holder will be redirected to the e-filing website where he can generate the EVC. EVC generated will be sent to the registered e-mail id and mobile number of taxpayer, which can be used to verify income-tax return.

Through Aadhaar number: Taxpayer can link their Aadhaar number with their PAN on e-filing website to generate the EVC. Once the Aadhaar number is linked to PAN, “one-time password” (OTP) will be generated and sent to the taxpayer’s registered mobile number.

Through ATM: All taxpayers can generate EVC through ATM only if ATM card of taxpayer is linked to PAN validated bank account and bank is also registered with the income-tax department. Taxpayer can access ATM of registered bank using his debit/credit card. The bank will communicate the request to e-filing website which will generate EVC and send the EVC to assessee on his registered mobile number.

Through e-filing website of I-T Dept: An assessee can also generate EVC by using e-filing website of Income-tax Dept. (i.e. www.incometaxindiaefiling.gov.in). However, this facility is available only to the assessees having total income of Rs 5 lakh or below and who are not claiming income tax refund.

EVC verification is an optional process. If the taxpayer wants, he can continue to send ITR-V physically to CPC, Bangalore.

E-Filing has definitely elucidated the efforts of taxpayers as it is more accurate due to various cross checks performed electronically, which is missed in physical return filing. It facilitates faster processing as it is computer based, more secure than paper-based filing as there are lesser chances of loss of data and the best thing is you can e-file from anywhere, anytime as per your convenience.

Albert Einstein once said, “The hardest question in the world to understand is the income taxes”. Well, not anymore.

The author is Head of Tax, myITreturn.com. The views expressed in this article are his own