The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) has issued guidelines for the compulsory selection of income tax returns for scrutiny for the assessment year 2022-23.

As per the guidelines, the Board prescribed the parametersfor compulsory selection on completion of which, notice u/s 143(2) of the Act shall be served on the assessee through NaFAC.

The Board clarified that where return has been furnished in response to notice u/s 142(1) of the Act and such notice u/s 142(1) of the Act was issued due to the information contained in NMS Cycle/SFT information/information received from Directorate of I&CI, such return will not be taken up for compulsory scrutiny. Selection of such cases for scrutiny will be done through CASS cycle.

“The cases shall be selected for compulsory scrutiny by the International Taxation and Central Circle charges following the above prescribed parameters and procedure with prior administrative approval of Pr. CIT/Pr.DIT/CIT/DIT concerned. The cases which are selected for compulsory scrutiny by the International Taxation and Central Circle charges following the above prescribed parameters and procedure, shall, as earlier, continue to be handled by these charges,” the Board said.

As per the amendments brought by Finance Act 2021, the time limit for service of notice u/s 143(2) of the Act has been reduced to three months from the end of the Financial Year in which the return is filed. Therefore, the selection of cases and transfer of cases, wherein assessments have to be completed in faceless manner, to NaFAC shall be completed positively by 31.05.2022. In cases selected for compulsory scrutiny, service of notice u/s 143(2) of the Act shall be completed by 30.06.2022.