Govt extends due dates for filing IT returns, audit reports, GST annual return

New Delhi: The government on Saturday said due dates for filing income tax returns and tax audit reports for FY20 for various classes of tax payers have been extended to give more time for tax payers to comply.

The government also, on advice from the federal tax body, the Goods and Services Tax (GST) Council, extended the due date for filing annual return for FY19 from 31 October to 31 December, finance ministry said.

For filing income tax returns for FY20, individuals who are not required to conduct a tax audit report will now get time till 31 December. The original due date of 31 July was earlier extended to 30 November.

Tax payers who are required to file their tax audit reports—professionals with gross receipts more than ₹50 lakh and those running businesses with sales up to ₹1 crore—have also got extra time. They can now file their tax returns by 31 January. The earlier deadline, after one extension, was 30 November.

Assessees who enter into international transactions or specified domestic transactions and are required to file tax audit reports, have also been given extra time to file their FY20 tax returns. As per Saturday’s announcement, they can file their tax returns for FY20 by end of January.

“Consequently, the date for furnishing of various audit reports under the Income tax Act including tax audit report and report in respect of international or specified domestic transaction has also been extended to 31 December, 2020,” said the finance ministry statement.

The ministry also gave extra time for small tax payers to pay their self- assessment tax. This facility is available only to those with self-assessment tax liability up to ₹1 lakh. Accordingly, those who are liable to get tax audit done, can pay self assessment tax by end of January and others can pay by end of December. Finance ministry said it will notify these changes.

The government also said it has been receiving requests for more time to file GST annual return and the reconciliation statement for FY19. Accordingly the due date for the same has been extended from 31 October to 31 December, said the ministry.

Filing annual return (form GSTR-9/GSTR-9A) for FY19 is optional for taxpayers who had sales below ₹2 crore. Filing of reconciliation statement in form 9C is optional for the taxpayers with sales up to ₹5 crore, said the ministry.

“Finally, the demands of industry have been met and the government has given a suitable extension tor annual compliance under GST laws as well as income tax laws due to disruptions caused by coronavirus,” said Rajat Mohan, senior partner at chartered accountants firm AMRG & Associates