Step 1: Check that it is genuine
Genuine notices carry a Document Identification Number (DIN) and appear in your e-filing account under pending actions or e-proceedings. The portal also has an option to authenticate a notice. Be careful with emails or messages that ask you to pay through a link.
Step 2: Read what it asks
Note four things: the provision it is issued under, the year it relates to, what information or action is requested, and the date by which you must respond.
| Common notice | What it usually means |
|---|---|
| Intimation after processing | Your return was processed; check whether a demand or lower refund is shown |
| Defective return | A schedule or detail is missing; correct and refile |
| Mismatch or e-campaign | Income in AIS does not match your return |
| Scrutiny selection | Your return will be examined in detail |
| Reassessment | The department believes income for an earlier year was not assessed |
Section numbers shown on notices for new proceedings may follow the Income-tax Act, 2025. Earlier years continue to refer to the 1961 Act.
Step 3: Find the cause
Download your filed return, AIS and Form 26AS for the year. Many notices come from a simple gap: savings interest not reported, a share or property sale missing, TDS claimed that the deductor did not report, or a deduction without proof.
Step 4: Collect proof
- Form 16 and salary slips
- Bank statements and interest certificates
- Sale and purchase deeds for property
- Broker capital gains statements
- Investment and insurance proofs for deductions
- Loan papers, gift deeds or other proof of the source of large deposits
Step 5: Respond before the deadline
Submit the reply through the e-filing portal, attaching documents. Keep the answer specific to what is asked and consistent with your records. If you need more time, request an adjournment before the deadline. If the fix is a revised or updated return, file that and mention it in the response.
What not to do
- Do not ignore the notice; the matter may be decided without your input
- Do not reply in a hurry without checking AIS and your documents
- Do not pay a demand without checking whether it is correct
- Do not send partial documents, which usually lead to a second notice
For flat buyers in Greater Noida West, a common notice relates to the source of funds for a purchase or TDS on property. Keep your home loan sanction, payment receipts and Form 26QB records together.
Frequently asked questions
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Sources
Information is for general guidance and not a substitute for professional advice. Rules, rates and due dates change; confirm with us before acting.