Decode My Notice — Tax, GST & Legal Notices Explained

Got a notice you don't understand? Paste the text and the AI reads every section, identifies the deadline, explains the allegation and tells you exactly what to do next — free in seconds.

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What you can do here

Income tax notices: 143(1), 148, 271, 245 adjustment
GST notices: DRC-01, REG-17 cancellation, show-cause notice
Legal notices: cheque bounce, demand, eviction
Criminal: summons, FIR section explanation
Identifies deadline and flags any urgency

Find the deadline before you read anything else

Every notice carries a period to respond, and that date governs everything you do next. A section 143(1) intimation generally allows 30 days to respond to a proposed adjustment. A GST DRC-01 show-cause notice states its own reply period. A cheque-bounce demand notice gives the drawer 15 days to pay. Read the date first, put it in a calendar, and work backwards — a strong reply filed late is worth less than an adequate reply filed on time.

Not every notice is an accusation

The word "notice" covers very different things and the correct level of alarm varies enormously. A 143(1) intimation is often just arithmetic — the department's computation against yours, and sometimes it agrees with you and confirms a refund. A section 245 communication proposes adjusting your refund against an old demand. A section 148 notice is a reassessment and is genuinely serious. A GST REG-17 proposes cancelling your registration. Identify which one you have before deciding how much it costs to answer.

Silence is the expensive option

Ignoring a notice does not make it lapse; it removes your side from the record. Under section 144 the assessing officer can complete a best-judgment assessment on their own estimate, which is rarely favourable. In GST, letting the reply window pass converts a show-cause notice into a confirmed demand order. In a cheque-bounce matter, an unanswered demand notice is read against you at trial. Even an incomplete reply that asks for time is dramatically better than nothing.

Answer with documents, not adjectives

A reply that works is specific: reference the notice by its number and date, state clearly what you accept and what you dispute, and attach evidence for each disputed point — challans, bank statements, invoices, contracts, Form 26AS or AIS extracts. Do not argue facts you cannot evidence, and do not volunteer material the notice did not ask for. Keep the tone factual. Send it through the portal where one exists, and keep the acknowledgement.

When to bring in a professional

Handle the routine and arithmetical yourself — a 143(1) mismatch you can trace in your own records is usually straightforward. Bring in a chartered accountant or advocate when the amount is significant, when reassessment or penalty provisions are cited, when fraud or wilful suppression is alleged, or when a criminal section appears. In those matters the first reply frames everything that follows, and it is far cheaper to get it right than to correct it on appeal.

Frequently asked questions

How does 'Decode My Notice' work?

Paste the notice text. The AI identifies the type, the statutory section cited, the deadline and what response is needed — in plain English in seconds.

Is my notice text stored?

No — the notice text is processed in real time and is not stored after your session.