The Department of Inland Revenue (IRD) has warned that legal action will be taken against individuals who obtain a Taxpayer Identification Number by submitting false information, as registrations cross 13 million.
In a statement reported by NewsFirst on Tuesday, the department said the number of individuals registered for a TIN had exceeded 13 million to date, reflecting the rapid expansion of the tax net under the government’s revenue-broadening drive.
False declarations during the registration process, such as misrepresenting income status or identity details, will be treated as offences and prosecuted, the IRD said. The department did not disclose how many fraudulent registrations have been flagged or whether specific cases have already been referred for action.
The warning comes as Parliament prepares to take up the Inland Revenue (Amendment) Bill for its second reading this week, following a Supreme Court determination that section 185A of the bill required a special majority.
The IRD has been expanding mandatory TIN coverage to citizens above 18 years as part of conditions linked to the IMF Extended Fund Facility, with TIN numbers now required for property transactions, vehicle registration, opening bank accounts and accessing several government services. The department collected Rs.600 billion in revenue in the first quarter of 2026.
