New Income Tax Portal: Know Why Taxpayers Need To Re-Register Digital Signature Certificate

The income tax department asked taxpayers to re-register their DSC (Digital Signature Certificate) besides updating personal mobile number and email ID under 'primary contact', act on 'pending action', if any, and respond to 'outstanding demand'

New Delhi: Here's an important piece of news for taxpayers! The income tax (I-T) department has asked taxpayers to re-register their digital signature certificate (DSC) once again on the newly launched ITR portal that became operational early this week.

The income tax department has launched a new portal e-filing 2.0 (www.incometax.gov.in), to make the online filing of returns and tax payment easier. The new portal has been made available for by taxpayers in various regional languages.

In view of this change, the income tax department asked taxpayers to re-register their DSC (Digital Signature Certificate) besides updating personal mobile number and email ID under 'primary contact', act on 'pending action', if any, and respond to 'outstanding demand'.

What is a Digital Signature Certificate (DSC)?

A DSC is an electronic form of your signature. Since electronic documents including e-forms, e-tenders and e-applications are required to be signed digitally, hence there will be requirement of DSC. A licensed certifying authority can issue these (under section 24 of the Indian Information Technology Act, 2000).

Baiscally, DSC helps in the “authentication" and “non-repudiation" of digital documents. The certificate acts as a proof about the person sending the document and confirmation that the contents of the document have not been changed.

What is the need to re-register DSC?

It is because the prvious digital signature (DSC) registration on the old portal cannot be migrated owing to security and technical reasons.

After you log in to the income tax portal with your details, the dashboard would show information of e-proceedings. Here, taxpayers can view, edit and update their personal details under the 'my profile' menu. The portal also provides a free ITR preparation software with interactive questions to help taxpayers file ITRs 1, 4 (online and offline)

There are over 8.46 crore individual registered users of the I-T e-filing portal.