Mumbai-based Anand Shah has not received his tax refund of Rs 20,000 for assessment year 2009-10.
After six months of chase, is chartered accountant came up with a solution: Use the Right to Information Act.
According to tax experts, if all the information provided while filing the return was correct, and the refund hasn't come, one can check the status with an RTI application.
"Only an assesssee can make an application for knowing the status of his/her tax income tax refund," says S D Kaushik, member, Institute of Chartered Accountants of India.
Only you, not your CA or a family member can file your RTI. Also, as Central Information Commissioner Shailesh Gandhi says, you can take this route only if you have not received your refund for at least a year.
Therefore, Anand Shah will have to wait to file one. The fee for an RTI application to a central government authority is Rs. 10, to be paid through demand draft or bankers' cheque or by post.
Tax experts say the Income Tax Act does not mention any recourse to track tax refunds for an individual.
Jigar Saiya, partner, MZS and Associates, says: "Typically, we check if the returns were filed on time, the data provided and if the address is correct.
"Mostly, these are the problem areas."
If all these are correct, taxpayers are advised to fill Form 30 to check on the refunds, within one year from the end of the assessment year.
For the purpose, you need to give copies of the return, advance tax chalan and TDS certificate. You should get a reply in six months.
An alternative could be writing to the assessing officer with whom you filed your returns and marking a copy to the additional commissioner. You should get a reply in a month.
"The final step is to approach the Income Tax Ombudsman," says Saiya. But all these mean a long
haul for the assessee.