Photo Source: ANI
India's New Income Tax proposes allowing access to your email, social media; sparking privacy concerns
Babushahi Bureau
New Delhi, March 6, 2025: The Indian government has introduced a new income tax bill that would grant tax authorities unprecedented access to taxpayers' electronic records, including emails, social media accounts, online banking, and investment data during investigations.
The bill aims to update India’s 60-year-old tax legislation to reflect the digital economy. Under the current law, tax authorities lack explicit powers to examine digital records, leading to legal uncertainties. The proposed bill seeks to remove these ambiguities by allowing officials to access:
- Email servers
- Bank and trading accounts
- Online investment platforms
- Social media accounts
- Digital application servers
Legal experts and privacy advocates have expressed serious concerns over these expanded powers, warning that they could lead to:Taxpayer harassment, Unwarranted scrutiny of personal data,Threats to digital rights and privacy.
Critics argue that without clear safeguards, the bill could enable excessive government surveillance and potential misuse of private financial and digital information.Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman introduced the revamped Income Tax Bill, 2025, in Parliament, calling it an overhaul of the six-decade-old tax framework.
The bill is currently under review by a parliamentary select committee, with provisions likely to be debated and revised before final approval.