File your return on https://incometaxindiaefiling.gov.in/portal/index.do electronically using digital signature for income tax, you do not have to submit a physical copy of the return. Digital Signature Certificate made mandatory w.e.f 1st July 2011 for Firms and Individuals whose accounts are required to be audited u/s 44 AB of the Income Tax Act' 1961 Notification no. S.O. 1497(E) dated 1st July 2011.
Digital signature certificate for income tax should be of class 2 or Class 3. It is mandatory to buy pan encrypted digital signature for online filling of IT return.
You can choose to buy digital signature of any one of the Certification Authority (CA), such as E mudhra, MTNLtrustline, Safe scrypt, ncode Solutions - division of GNFC Ltd.
The firms and individuals whose accounts are required to be audited u/s 44 AB of the Income Tax Act' 1961. Who have already registered their digital signatures may continue to file this year's return also with same DSC. However, the users who are applying for new digital-signatures for registration and subsequent e-filing of returns are advised to apply for pan encrypted digital signature only.
1. For Individual return: Anyone who files return online can use pan encrypted digital signature.
2. For Organizations: Any individual who represents an organization in accordance with the provisions of Section 140 of the IT Act can apply to buy digital signature for Income tax purpose. For example, for company returns, the digital certificate should be that of the Managing Director or the Director of the company. A digital signature is to electronic documents what a handwritten signature is to printed documents. A digital signature is an electronic signature that can be used to authenticate the identity of the sender of a message or the signer of a document. The Information Technology Act, 2000 provides for the use of Digital Signatures on the documents submitted in electronic form to the security and authenticity of the documents. Digital Certificates are issued only through a valid Certification Authority (CA), such as EMudhra, MTNL, Safescrypt, (n) Code Solutions division of GNFC Ltd. and Tata Consultancy Services.
While renewing you DSC You can include pan encryption in your Digital signature. Simply attached your self-attested copy of pan card along with the Digital Signature renewal form and send it to us to include pan encryption in you renewed DSC.
If you wish to transfer your digital signature from one certifying authority to your choice of other certifying authority. Use the application form of that certifying authority. With effect from 1st April 2011 MTNL has stopped issuing digital signature. You can renew your mtnl digital signature with any of Ncode, Safescrypt, and Emudhra.