Powers of an Income Tax Officer (ITO) in India is very high, Income tax officers are (CBDT) and are part of the Indian Revenue Service (IRS). Their role is to enforce and administer tax laws .
Income Tax Officer’s powers and functions:
Tax Assessment: ITOs are responsible for assessing the income tax liabilities of individuals, businesses entities.
Search and Seizure: Income Tax Officers have the power to conduct searches and seizures of premises if there is reason to believe that there is undisclosed income or tax evasion.
Summoning : ITOs can summon taxpayers for examination and require them to produce relevant documents .
Penalty and Prosecution: ITO can impose penalties or initiate prosecution proceedings against the taxpayers.
Dispute Resolution: In cases there are disputes between taxpayers and department, Income Tax Officer may participate in hearings.
Tax Recovery: ITOs have the authority to recover tax taxpayers using various methods, including attaching assets.
Income Tax Officers have significant powers, they are also bound by legal procedures. Abuse of power or by tax officials can be subject disciplinary actions.
The powers of Income Tax Officer may vary based on their post (e.g., Assistant Commissioner, Deputy Commissioner, etc.) and the nature of the case .