The Income Tax Department on Saturday extended the deadline for individual assessees to file their returns for financial year 2019-20 (assessment year 2020-21) by a month, in a relief to taxpayers on account of COVID-19. Taxpayers now have until December 31 to file their return of income earned between April 1, 2019 to March 31, 2020, instead of November 30. For individuals required to get their accounts audited, a new deadline of January 31 is applicable, instead of December 31.
The due dates have been extended in order to “provide more time to taxpayers for furnishing of income tax returns”, according to the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT), the top policy-making body of the Income Tax Department.
In May, the government had extended the date for filing income tax returns for financial year 2019-20 from July 31 to November 30.
