What are the powers with the department in the current law
The government is very serious to prevent tax evasion in the country and many steps are being taken for this. In this connection, the Income Tax Department is going to get many more forces. The Income Tax Department starting from April 1, 2026 will have the legal right to access your social media account, e-mail, bank account, online investment account, trading account etc. However, the Income Tax Department will do this only when they suspect that you have stolen tax.
According to an Economic Times report, if the I-T department feels that you have any undeclared income, money, gold, jewelery or any other valuable thing or property, on which you have not paid the implemented income tax according to the Income Tax Act, 1961, they will be able to check your accounts even in such circumstances.
What is the Income Tax Act, 1961 section 132
Section 132 of the current Income Tax Act, 1961 allows the authorized officers of the Income Tax Department to seize assets and books of accounts. However, the authorities get these permission in the same circumstances when they have any undisclosed income, assets or documents that they will not deliberately reveal to avoid income tax.
What are the powers with the department in the current law
Under the current law, if the investigating officers do not have the keys in a case and they suspect that there are any undisclosed property or book of accounts being kept there, then they can break the lock of any door, boxes or lockers. Whereas under the new Income Tax Bill, the officials will not only be able to break the locks, but will also be able to investigate your social media account, e-mail, bank account, online investment account, trading account etc. without telling them.
What is in section 247 of the new income tax bill
According to section 247 of the new Income Tax Bill, if an authorized officer is the reason for relying that a person has undisclosed income or property that comes under the purview of income tax, then they can break any doors, boxes, lockers, locals, chests, cupboards using the powers received by section (i). You can enter and search in any building, location etc. or get access by overrising the access code of any computer system or virtual digital space, where its access code is not available.
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