ISLAMABAD (December 14 2003): In a major move to facilitate small taxpayers, particularly salaried class, the Central Board of Revenue (CBR) has decided that refund claims up to Rs 10,000 would be cleared on accelerated basis.
In this connection, the CBR has issued income tax circular directing Regional Commissioners of Income Tax (RCITs) to forthwith comply with the instructions.
Top tax manager Vakil Ahmed Khan said here on Saturday that ordinarily refund payments are to be made within 90 days of the date of refund order made under section 170 of Income Tax Ordinance 2001.
The time for passing refund order is 45 days from the date of filing the refund application.
Taking into account taxpayers' facilitation and ongoing reform process, the Board has recently issued a circular on December 10, 2003 that all those taxpayers, who have filed return of income for the Tax Year 2003 ie year ending June 30, 2003, qualifying for acceptance under Universal Self-Assessment, shall be issued the refund immediately without resorting to any correspondence with the taxpayers.
The process of issuance of refund is to be monitored by the respective Regional Commissioner of Income Tax/Director General, Large Taxpayers Unit. In case of any difficulty, the taxpayers may approach them.
When contacted, tax practitioners appreciated that this is for the first time that persons belonging to salaried class would be able to get refund without direct interaction between the tax officials and taxpayers.
