Income Tax department sends SMS/emails for bogus political donation claims

Key Points

1. The Income Tax department is sending SMS and email advisories to taxpayers regarding wrongful deduction claims.
2. The advisories relate to claims involving Registered Unrecognised Political Parties (RUPPs) or Charitable Institutions.
3. The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) has observed bogus claims related to donations to RUPPs and Charitable Institutions.
4. A 'targeted NUDGE campaign' has been launched to allow taxpayers to update their ITRs and withdraw wrong claims.
5. SMS and Email advisories are being issued from 12th December 2025.
6. Evidence suggests RUPPs are being used for routing funds, hawala transactions, and issuing bogus receipts.
7. Many taxpayers have already revised their Income Tax Returns for the current AY 2025-26.
8. Taxpayers are advised to ensure correct mobile and email IDs are mentioned in their filings.