N.P. SENGUPTA, chief commissioner of income-tax (Calcutta), met readers of The Telegraph in his Ayakar Bhavan office to answer their queries. Participants included S.M. Chakraborty, Ranajit Basu, Saileswar Chakraborty, Samir Bhattacharjee, Diptimoy Ghosh, K. Roychoudhury and Sailen Bhattacharya

Sailen Bhattacharya: The income-tax department is notorious for being harsh and is, therefore, shunned by many. Why don’t you change the image?

The reputation of the department had suffered because it would act as an enforcer, rather than a service provider. That has changed. Now, our approach is to provide better service to the customers. We are trying to rebuild relations with the general tax-payer by organising seminars and other interactive programmes. I may add that the response has been good.

K. Roychoudhury: You are talking about transparency in your department’s working process, but several officials at Bamboo Villa demand bribes to expedite work. The rates vary according to the number of years for which a tax-payer wants his returns filed.

This is an old complaint. But what’s interesting is that so far, nobody has come forward to lodge a specific charge. If we are tipped off, our vigilance cell can take up the case and book the offender. In case the tax-payer feels a nexus exists among some of our officers, he can come directly to me. I assure you the matter will be looked into immediately. To date, there has been no written complaint, not even an anonymous letter. We have set up boards with the names and phone numbers of senior officers who can be contacted, but no calls have been received, identifying any wrong-doer. Such boards can be found beside the lift entrance of every floor at Ayakar Bhavan.

Saileswar Chakraborty: I have a problem related to filing of returns and getting a refund. I have written several times to officers at Bamboo Villa but neither has a single letter of mine been acknowledged, nor has my problem been resolved.

That’s unfortunate. I assure you that we try to send an acknowledgement for all the letters we receive. But on occasion, the volume of correspondence is so large that we need time to reply to all the letters. The more serious grievances are addressed first.

S.M. Chakraborty: Earlier, we’d receive a covering letter with assessment-related information for refunds and other orders. Why has the practice been discontinued?

We have stopped sending a covering letter for the services that you mentioned — refunds and other related issues. But we do send an intimation letter for assessments. If you have not received one, I will check why it has not been sent.

Saileswar Chakraborty: Differences of opinion among your officers cause us harassment. While one officer directs us to do something in a certain way, another comes up with a different method.

I do not agree. A single problem cannot have different officers suggesting different solutions. We have a host of services and departments, and each one is distinct from the other by nature of work. We have seen tax-payers often approach the wrong officer with their problem. For speedy redress, it is imperative that you contact the right man. We have an enquiry counter and employees there will help you get in touch with the right official. If your problem persists, approach our senior administrative officers.

Samir Bhattacharjee: Forms and challans are in short supply at Bamboo Villa.

Yes, there is a supply problem. That is because we are introducing forms and challans in a new format. But in any case, the refund process is not affected. The shortage will be overcome within a few days. We have been instructed by the Central Board of Direct Taxes to make people aware of these new formats and we have already advertised in several newspapers about them.

(To be concluded)