Got an IT Notice? Respond in 30 Days or Pay

If you filed your ITR and got a tax notice afterward, don't panic — but don't ignore it either. You must respond through the income tax e-filing portal within the deadline given, or face heavy penalties and a worse tax assessment.

Here's what happened: The July 31 ITR filing deadline has passed and the Income Tax Department is now issuing notices to taxpayers for mismatches, missing details, or non-filing.. Common notice types include Section 143(1) for computation mismatches, Section 139(9) for defective returns, and Section 148 for income the department believes went unreported.. Taxpayers who do not respond within the prescribed timeframe risk ex-parte assessments, meaning the tax officer can determine your taxable income without your input — almost always unfavourable..

What you should do: Log in to incometax.gov.in immediately, go to 'Pending Actions' under your dashboard, and check if any notice is listed — even if you haven't received an email.. Read the notice carefully to identify the section number (e.g., 143(1), 139(9), 148) — each requires a different type of response, so do not reply generically.. Consult a CA or tax professional if the notice relates to unreported income or large discrepancies; for simple mismatches, you can respond yourself through the e-filing portal's 'e-Proceedings' section..

Under Section 139(9), a defective return notice gives you just 15 days to correct and refile — missing this window can make your original ITR legally void, as if you never filed at all.

For readers weighing their credit and loan options, our personal loan guide and CIBIL score resources put this update in context.