Income Tax Department on Thursday launched a 'lite' e-filing facility to smoothen the filing of returns by taxpayers. According to reports, the official portal of the Income Tax Department has made the facility operational.

In a public Advisory released the Department said that a 'e-Filing Lite', which is a lighter version of the e-filing portal is being launched with a focus on filing of the Income Tax Return (ITR) by taxpayers.

The notice further said that those who want to file ITR can access the portal by simply clicking on the e-Filing Lite option on the homepage of the ITR homepage. Reports say that a senior official from the Income Tax Department has revealed that a new tab for the Lite version has been installed on the homepage of the official website and once a registered taxpayer log into the webpage, they will find only the essential links to for filing ITRs and Form 26AS (for tax deducted at source credit).

Moreover, the taxpayers will be able to download pre-filled or XML forms and also go through their past filed IT returns. E-proceeding, compliance, e-nivaran, worklist and profile setting tabs have been removed from the 'lite version' however, has been retained in the standard e-filing version portal, as told to media by the IT department official.

The official further added that the 'lite' version will facilitate easy and quick ITR filing by all categories of taxpayers. Reportedly, the government on July 23 announced the extension of the last date for ITR filing by individuals for the financial year 2018-19 till August 31.