Indirect tax authorities to use new system for search, summons, other communication

The Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) has said its unique DIN system would come into force in the indirect tax administration from November 8. "The DIN would be used for search authorisation, summons, arrest memo, inspection notices and letters issued in the course of any enquiry. From now onwards, any communication from GST or Custom or Central Excise Department without a computer-generated DIN would be treated as invalid," said Revenue Secretary Ajay Bhushan Pandey.

The move will help bring transparency and accountability through use of information technology, a government statement said.  "No communication would be issued without DIN except, only if it is in the specified exceptional circumstances," Pandey added. CBIC had implemented the DIN (Documentation Identification Number) system in direct tax administration in August.

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CBIC Chairman Pranab K Das said the DIN system would create a digital directory for maintaining a proper audit trail of such communications. "Now all such specified communications with DIN would be verifiable on the online portal cbicddm.gov.in and any communication which is not in conformity with the prescribed guidelines as per the DIN related Circulars dated 05.11.2019 shall be treated as invalid," he said.

The CBDT in August had made DIN mandatory for all communications made by the Tax Department to assessees. As per DIN rules for the direct tax administrations, no communication can be issued by any income-tax authority to the assessee unless the DIN is "duly quoted" in the body of such communication.

Edited by Manoj Sharma

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