Income Tax Department has started the strictest investigation on donations given to political parties. Through Advanced Data Analytics and Pattern-Based Analysis, CBDT has identified those taxpayers who made wrong tax deduction and fake refund claims in the name of unrecognized political parties or fake entities.

The investigation revealed that a network of middlemen and agents was active across the country, who filed returns in exchange for commission and showed inflated deductions.

Many taxpayers were not even aware of this. Now Income Tax Department is sending SMS and Email Alerts and has started Nudge Campaign, so that taxpayers can avoid Penalty, Interest or Prosecution by filing Revised Return on time. Notice issued from 12 December 2025.

Cash Transaction Rules: In the era of promotion of digital payments and online banking, the Income Tax Department has become very strict regarding large cash transactions. Whether you are withdrawing cash for personal use or for business purposes, it is important to understand how much cash you can legally transact in a day. Many people may not know that if you make cash transactions beyond a certain limit, you will not only be fined but you may also get an income tax notice. So let us know how much cash transaction can be done in a day under the Income Tax Act.

Section 269 ST

According to Section 269 ST of the Income Tax Act, no person is allowed to receive Rs 2 lakh or more in cash in a day from one or more persons. This restriction does not depend at all on whether the transaction is personal or business. For example, if you are selling a car and receive Rs 2.5 lakh in cash, then legally it is against the income tax law.

Penalty for violating rules

If you accept more than Rs 2 lakh in cash, the Income Tax Department can impose a penalty equal to the total cash amount received. For example, if you accept ₹ 5 lakh in cash for your property or business transactions, then the penalty on that can also be the entire ₹ 5 lakh. This penalty is imposed under Section 271DA and only the person receiving the cash is held accountable.

Why is this rule

The ₹2 lakh cash transaction limit was imposed to curb black money and tax evasion in the economy. The government’s aim is that all major transactions, whether through bank transfer, check or digital means, should be transparent and traceable. Even if it is a personal transaction, like giving money to a friend or relative, if it is more than Rs 2 lakh then it can be investigated.

Income Tax Department Monitoring System

The Income Tax Department uses AI-powered data analysis to monitor unusual or high-value cash deposits and withdrawals. Along with this, an alert can be issued on cash deposit or withdrawal of more than Rs 10 lakh in a savings account or Rs 50 lakh in a current account in a financial year. Not only this, but many cash transactions of less than Rs 2 lakh can also be identified as suspicious to avoid detection.

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