With the advent of online tax filing it is much easier task to file your returns. But sometime there may be situations where you need to interact with income tax department to clarify their doubts or to raise the issues related to your tax filing. At that time you must first know about your tax ward and circle or about your assessing officer.
Income tax department made your life easy in finding the tax ward or circle of your PAN Card. But before proceeding further let us understand what do you mean by tax ward and circle and who is assessing officer.
Assessing Officer-He is the authorized person who make assessment of your return filed and if some clarification need then he will issue notice to you requesting for more data. Hence to assess each individual’s tax return, Income Tax Department set up different offices across India. These officers sit in these designated offices and will verify depending on the location they allotted and category of tax payers.
Designation of such officers may vary based on volume of income, nature of trade assigned by board. It may be like Income Tax Officer, Assistant Commissioner, Deputy Commissioner, Joint Commissioner or Additional Commissioner.
Such individual offices of Assessing Officer is allotted a unique number to identify. This number is called Income Tax Ward/Range No./AO Code. They have the powers to scrutinize your returns and if possible request for additional information. Your income tax refund will also be approved by these AOs only.
By going by above information, you noticed that how much important for you to know about your AO or tax ward and circle. Below is the procedure to find the same.
1) Visit the link https://incometaxindiaefiling.gov.in/. Screen will be as below.
You need to enter your PAN number and enter the Catpcha Code then press on tab “Submit”.
2) Next you will view the below image which mentions PAN holder name, Area Code, AO Type, Range Code, AO Number, Jurisdiction and building.
