The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) on September 9 extended the deadline for filing of income-tax returns for FY 2020-21 to December 31, 2021. This is the second time the ITR filing deadline has been extended - it was previously extended from July to September.

On consideration of difficulties reported by the taxpayers and other stakeholders in the filing of Income Tax Returns and various reports of audit for the Assessment Year 2021-22 under the Income-tax Act, 1961 (the “Act”), 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, CBDT said in a statement.

The details are as under:

The due date of furnishing of Return of Income for the Assessment Year 2021-22, which was July 31, 2021, under sub-section (1) of section 139 of the Act, as extended to September 30, 2021, vide Circular No.9/2021 dated 20.05.2021, is hereby further extended to December 31, 2021.

The due date of furnishing of Report of Audit under any provision of the Act for the Previous Year 2020-21, which is September 30, 2021, as extended to October 30, 2021, vide Circular No.9/2021 dated 20.05.2021, is hereby further extended to January 15, 2022;

The due date of furnishing Report from an Accountant by persons entering into an international transaction or specified domestic transaction under section 92E of the Act for the Previous Year 2020-21, which is October 31, 2021, as extended to November 30, 2021, vide Circular No.9/2021 dated 20.05.2021, is hereby further extended to January 31, 2022;

The due date of furnishing of Return of Income for the Assessment Year 2021-22, which is October 31, 2021 under sub-section (1) of section 139 of the Act, as extended to November 30, 2021 vide Circular No.9/2021 dated 20.05.2021, is hereby further extended to February 15, 2022;

The due date of furnishing of Return of Income for the Assessment Year 2021-22, which is November 30, 2021, under sub-section (1) of section 139 of the Act, as extended to December 31, 2021, vide Circular No.9/2021 dated 20.05.2021, is hereby further extended to February 28, 2022;

The due date of furnishing of belated/revised Return of Income for the Assessment Year 2021-22, which is December 31, 2021, under sub-section (4)/sub-section (5) of section 139 of the Act, as extended to January 31, 2022, vide Circular No.9/2021 dated 20.05.2021, is hereby further extended to March 31, 2022;

The extension of the dates as referred to in clauses (9), (12) and (13) of Circular No.9/2021 dated 20.05.2021 and in clauses (1), (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 20.05.2021 and as above) provided in that Act, shall be deemed to be the advance tax.