While asking officers to conduct e-assessment in all scrutiny cases other than those where searches have been conducted, the income tax department has instructed that assessments be put on hold where the assessees are not in favour of electronic proceedings.

Following its earlier announcement, the tax department on Monday issued instructions where for the current financial year, it has also asked some of the field offices with limited internet bandwidth to conduct only 10% of the scrutiny, in cases where the deadline is expiring on March 31. The Central Board of Direct Taxes will issue a list of such stations shortly, it added.

As part of its drive to speed up assessments and cut down on face-to-face interface between officers and taxpayers, the government is moving to electronic assessment as part of scrutiny of a limited number of returns that are taken up. Several other steps have also been taken up to improve functioning of the tax department.

The instructions issued on Monday said that in case of enquiries before assessment, notices have to be issued electronically and need to be posted in the e-filing account. Assessees have been advised that online submissions have to be made within office hours by the stipulated date. The CBDT also said the facility for online submission of documents will automatically close a week before the deadline in cases which are time barred.