An income-tax refund is the excess of tax paid (TDS, TCS, advance tax, self-assessment) over the tax finally determined on the return. It is issued by the Centralised Processing Centre after the return is processed under section 143(1), to the pre-validated bank account on the e-filing portal.
The actual path
- File a correct return, with a pre-validated bank account and a confirmed e-mail / mobile.
- Wait for 143(1) processing. Outstanding demands, unmatched TDS and defective-return flags stop the clock.
- See status on the e-filing portal (Services → Refund / outstanding demand, as the menu then stands) and on the NSDL / Protean TIN refund-status page using PAN and assessment year.
- If ‘refund sent to bank and returned’, fix the account (name mismatch, closed account, not pre-validated) and re-confirm.
Why it stalls
- TDS in Form 26AS / AIS not matching the return — especially 194A interest and 194IA on property.
- An old outstanding demand that no one has responded to.
- A bank account that does not match PAN name.
- A revised or defective return that has reset processing.
GST refunds are a different statute and a different portal. See GST refunds.