It is puzzling that the new income-tax portal, claimed to be a game changer, is experiencing glitches ( Page 1, “FinMin. summons Infosys.CEO over I-T portal glitch”, August 24). It is apparent that the portal went live without undergoing the mandatory preliminary trials required for its smooth operation. Or else the Government might have accepted the redesigned portal on an ‘as is where is’ basis, by just going by the reputation of the contracted agency. Such an anomaly happening in a country producing the best technocrats is unacceptable. Though the issues are technical, if problems persist, the Centre should explore the possibility of involving the Institute of Chartered Accountants, to work in tandem with the agency so that the issues are resolved expeditiously. The Government should also consider extending the deadline for tax filings, as there is every likelihood of mismatches in the forms filed and the data available in the portal.
V. Subramanian,
Chennai
