> The income tax department is set to introduce a free-of-cost and
easy-to-operate electronic signature facility to file income tax returns
electronically.
> The facility will help taxpayers who do not have a digital signature.
> It will save them from the mandatory requirement of sending a hard
copy of the return filed electronically through speed post to the
department’s central processing centre in Bangalore.
> Acquiring an electronic signature will not involve any cost for the taxpayer, as it will be provided by the department.
> Currently, only those having digital signatures acquired through
specified vendors by paying the required charges need not send the hard
copy of the return to the department after filing electronically.