Halt Income-Tax Refund Adjustment

My FY 23-24 return shows a demand and my FY 24-25 computation initially showed a refund. I have now received an email stating that the department has “adjusted” the new refund against the old demand, but the demand itself is still under dispute.

I need someone with inside-out knowledge of the Indian Income-tax Department—ideally an officer or former officer—who can show me, step by step, how to prevent or reverse this automatic adjustment. I have already tried contacting the CPC helpline and my assessing officer but received no actionable response.

Key things I expect from you:
• A clear strategy (portal actions, written submissions, rectification or stay request, etc.) to stop the adjustment.
• Drafts of any letters or online responses I must file, in the correct format and citing the relevant sections.
• Guidance on timelines and escalation points so I can act before the refund is finally closed out.

Once your instructions are implemented, the demand should either be stayed or the refund re-issued in full; that will be my acceptance criterion.