Software bugs delay income-tax refunds

BANGALORE: Even as income-tax payers grapple with non-acceptance of their returns, it���s surely not a good time to expect refunds.

Refunds across the country will be enormously delayed as the software at the new Centralised Processing Centre (CPC) of the I-T department is yet to be rid of bugs. The net result is that processing tax returns and refunds of the assessment year 2008-09 may not be completed before March 2010.

Though the software is in place, the system is yet to get on to a complete working module. ���It���s in the nascent stage and once the software gets on track, it���ll speed up the process. The software will be fully operational by next year. Tax returns with errors are being returned. With delay in processing of returns, it���ll impact refunds too,������ explained IT officials.

After filing returns online, a tax payer/CA/tax consultant will have to download the acknowledgement and send it to CPC through ordinary post. ���We have been returning acknowledgements sent through couriers and SpeedPosts to the assesses. We���re also rejecting printouts of low quality where details cannot be read and information is wrong,������ officials added.