Centre extends deadline for FY20 ITR filing by individuals till December 31

New Delhi: In a relief to taxpayers, the government on Saturday further extended the deadline for filing returns by individual taxpayers for FY2019-20 by a month till December 31.

Also, the due date of furnishing Income Tax Returns (ITRs) for taxpayers whose accounts require to be audited has been extended till January 31, 2021.

In a statement, the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) said, "The due date for furnishing of Income Tax Returns for the other taxpayers [for whom the due date (i.e. before the extension by the said notification) as per the Act was July 31, 2020] has been extended to December 31, 2020."

The due date for furnishing of ITRS for "the taxpayers (including their partners) who are required to get their accounts audited [for whom the due date as per the I-T Act is October 31, 2020] has been extended to January 31, 2021", it added.

Also the due date for furnishing of ITRs for the taxpayers who are required to furnish report in respect of international/specified domestic transactions has been extended to January 31, 2021.

"The date for furnishing of various audit reports under the Act, including tax audit report and report in respect of international/specified domestic transaction, has been extended to December 31, 2020," the CBDT said.

Further, in a relief to small and middle-class taxpayers in the matter of payment of self-assessment tax, the due dates for payment have been extended.

The CBDT said in view of the "constraints being faced by taxpayers due to COVID-19", the deadlines have been extended to "provide more time to taxpayers for furnishing of Income Tax Returns".

Separately, the government on Saturday also extended the due date for furnishing GST annual returns for FY2018-19 by two months till December 31