After availing the online e-filing facility for tax returns, tax payers can now lodge their grievances with the taxman at the click of a mouse, with the launch of an online complaint redressal mechanism.

The trial run of this facility named 'Sevottam' is under experiment on a pilot basis in Mumbai and Udaipur and will be available in the next few months on the official website of the income tax (IT) department.

Tax payer who use the facility will receive an acknowledgment number while registering online complaints, which would have to be redressed by the IT department within a stipulated duration. At present tax payers have complained of a harrowing time with the tax department's offices and officers to get their problems solved.

The online facility will create a much needed hassle-free facility for tax payers across the country and make its officers also accountable and efficient, as there is a time frame to resolve the complaint from the time the compliant number is provided on e-filing the compliant.

A senior IT official involved in developing the new process said that the department will now start to register the complaints of the taxpayer on the on-line facility, which will be same as the online filing of tax returns facility.

The IT department's website has feature services like filing of TDS returns, e-payment of taxes, PAN Card information and status, annual information returns', 'online tax accounting system' (OLTAS), 'tax return prepares scheme' (TRPS), 'tax information network' and help desk and feedback with tax payers queries on the department's website.