ITR filing, tax audit report deadlines for FY 2020-21 extended by CBDT

The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) has extended the due dates for filing tax audit reports and income tax return for certain category of taxpayers for FY 2020-21. This was announced by the income tax department via a press release issued today.

The extension has come after various taxpayers have asked the tax department and finance ministry to extend dates due to rising coronavirus cases and issues in new income tax portal. “On consideration of difficulties reported by the taxpayers and other stakeholders due to COVID and in electronic filing of various reports of audit under the provisions of the Income-tax Act, 1961, the Central Board of Direct Taxes has decided to further extend the due dates for filing of income tax returns and various reports of audit for the assessment year 2021-22,” said the press release.

Various tax associations, taxpayers, tax professionals and so on, appealed to the government to extend the due date of submission of tax audit reports and filing of income tax returns for this category of individuals. Tax professionals and various charted accountant associations trended the hashtags on Twitter appealing government to extend the due dates.

As per the press release issued today:

• The due date of furnishing of report of audit under any provision of the Income-tax Act for the financial year 2020-21, which was 30th September, 2021, in the case of assessees referred in clause (a) of Explanation 2 to sub-section (1) of section 139 of the I-T Act, as extended to 31st October, 2021 and 15th January, 2022 by Circular No.9/2021 dated 20.05.2021 and Circular No.17/2021 dated 09.09.2021 respectively, is further extended to 15th February, 2022;
• The due date of furnishing of report of audit under any provision of the I-T Act for the financial year 2020-21, which was 31st October, 2021, in the case of assessees referred in clause (aa) of Explanation 2 to sub-section (1) of section 139 of the Act, is extended to 15th February, 2022.
• The due date of furnishing of Report from an Accountant by persons entering into international transaction or specified domestic transaction under section 92E of the Act for the Previous Year 2020-21, which was 31st October 2021, as extended to 30th November, 2021 and 31st January, 2022 by Circular No.9/2021 dated 20.05.2021 and Circular No.17/2021 dated 09.09.2021 respectively, is further extended to 15th February, 2022;
• The due date of furnishing of return of income for the financial year 2020-21 (assessment year 2021-22), which was 31st October, 2021 under sub-section (1) of section 139 of the Act, as extended to 30th November, 2021 and 15th February, 2022 by Circular No.9/2021 dated 20.05.2021 and Circular No.17/2021 dated 09.09.2021 respectively, is further extended to 15th March, 2022;
• The due date of furnishing of return of income for the financial year (2020-21) (assessment Year 2021-22), which was 30th November, 2021 under sub-section (1) of section 139 of the Act, as extended to 31st December, 2021 and 28th February, 2022 by Circular No.9/2021 dated 20.05.2021 and Circular No.17/2021 dated 09.09.2021 respectively, is further extended to 15th March, 2022.

The release further stated, "It is also clarified that the extension of the dates as referred to in clauses (12) and (13) of Circular No.9/2021 dated 20.05.2021, clauses (4) and (5) of Circular No.17/2021 dated 09.09.2021 and in clauses (4) and (5) above shall not apply to Explanation 1 to section 234A of the Act, in cases where the amount of tax on the total income as reduced by the amount as specified in clauses (i) to (vi) of sub-section (1) of that section exceeds rupees one lakh. Further, in case of an individual resident in India referred to in sub-section (2) of section 207 of the Act, the tax paid by him under section 140A of the Act within the due date (without extension under Circular No.9/2021 dated 20.05.202, Circular No. 17/2021 dated 09.09.2021 and as above) provided in that Act, shall be deemed to be the advance tax."

Do keep in mind that for individuals (who accouts are not required to be audited) filing income tax return using ITR-1, ITR-2 and ITR-4, the deadline for ITR filing for FY 2020-21 has expired on December 31, 2021.