INDEED A good move that the income tax officials have been directed to declare their assets with immediate effect. This comes after the Central Govt directed its IAS and IPS officials to declare their assets.

Good to start with but why not a declaration signed by each individual posted at the income tax offices, right from a peon to a commissioner. We have a feeling that 95% of the Income Tax personnel are corrupted and all of them must have accumulated a huge amount of moveable/ immovable property during their tenures. The corruption in the department starts from a peon, who is to be bribed / or a tip to even pass on your visiting card to the Income Tax Officer, etc.

Then comes the Inspector who expects directly or indirectly through a CA to give him a share of the refund amount, only then would he hand over the refund cheque. In case your case is under scrutiny, then you are at the mercy of the Income Tax officer who can demand any amount to free you from the complexities of the case.

One fails to understand when the account number is mentioned in the Income Tax Return, why the refund order needs to be deposited directly into the Assessed account. So far as my memory goes while in service with a PSU, we were supposed to file our return/ list of immovable property, if added during a year. And any capital item worth over Rs 15000 was to be brought to the notice of HR department to this effect positively.