PIB: More Than 26,000 Income Tax Appeals Filed through ITAT E-Filing Portal:

PIB: More Than 26,000 Income Tax Appeals Filed through ITAT E-Filing Portal The Press Information Bureau (PIB) has revealed through a press release that the Income Tax Appellate Tribunal (ITAT) has received more than 26,000 Income Tax Appeals electronically through the E-Filing Portal as of February 28, 2025. The e-filing portal was introduced to make the online processes of submitting appeals, petitions, and related documents simpler. The portal is becoming more popular among the parties involved. More than 26,000 appeals and applications have been filed via the ITAT E-Filing portal with different benches by February 28, 2025. The PIB has specified that free and high-speed internet has been made available at different ITAT benches using Optical Fiber Cable (OFC), giving access to stakeholders. Also, as part of this digital upgrade, ITAT has improved its infrastructure. The new office buildings located in Delhi and Lucknow now have modern video conferencing systems to make virtual or hybrid hearings better for the involved parties. These upgrades, including the latest equipment, help ensure that online and mixed (virtual + in-person) hearings work smoothly. The ITAT has set up virtual hearings at all its locations, following the instructions given by the Supreme Court of India. A total of 122,302 virtual hearings have been held by the Income Tax Appellate Tribunal (ITAT) across various benches between July 2023 and December 2024. The PIB also stated that the ITAT benches are not dropping requests from the parties for virtual hearings. The Minister of State of the Ministry of Law and Justice and the Minister of State in the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs, Arjun Ram Meghwal, gave this information in the written reply to questions asked in Rajya Sabha, as stated by the Press Information Bureau (PIB). It's also essential to mention that the Supreme Court started hybrid and virtual hearings during the COVID-19 pandemic. This digital shift at ITAT is helping reduce the workload on the courts and making it easier for citizens and professionals to take part in the justice system.