Government notices are written in legal language, not plain English.
Use this guide to decode what they actually want.
To,
Mr. Taxpayer,
PAN: XXXXX1234X
The return of income filed by you for A.Y. 2024-25 has been processed. The following discrepancies have been found...
Every valid notice has a DIN. If it doesn't, it might be a scam. Go to the portal and use "Authenticate Notice" to check.
The section number (like 143(1) or 148) tells you the severity. Use our decoder below to understand it.
Don't just look at the tax amount. Look at the table comparing "As per You" vs "As per Dept". That is where the mistake lies.
Select a section code to understand what it means and what to do
"Preliminary check of your return vs departmental data."
Arithmetical errors, incorrect claims, or mismatch with 26AS/AIS. May result in refund, demand, or no change.
Compare the notice with your return. If demand is correct, pay it. If incorrect, file a rectification u/s 154.
Demand becomes final and recovery proceedings may initiate.
You usually have 15-30 days. Mark it on your calendar. Missing this turns a simple query into a penalty.
Login to the portal. Do not reply to the email. Download the full PDF from "Pending Actions".
Check your AIS/TIS data. If the department is right, agree and pay. If not, draft a legal reply.