Request for extension of due date for filling ITR & Tax Audit Reports

Sales Tax Bar Association requested to provide an  extension upto November 15, 2019 for filing of income tax returns and tax audit reports by the assesses for whom the due date otherwise is September 30, 2019. Request is been made to Hon’ble Smt. Nirmala Sirtharaman, Union Finance Minister, Government of India.

SALES TAX BAR ASSOCIATION (Regd.)

Office: 
llnd Floor, Department of Trade & Taxes,
Vyapar Bhawan, Indraprastha Estate,
New Delhi-110002

EPABX No.: 23352310 to 14
Extn. No.: 3666, 3667
Tel. No.: 23355570, 23317748 
 23318682

Ref. No. STBA/2019/49 

Dated: September 23,2019

Hon’ble Smt. Nirmala Sirtharaman,

Union Finance Minister,
Government of India
Ministry of Finance,
North Block, New Delhi.

The Chairman,
CBDT, North Block,
Ministry of Finance,
New Delhi.

Sub.: Request for extension of due date for filling Income Tax returns and Tax Audit Reports for the Assessment year 2019-20.

Respected Madam,

Sales Tax Bar Association (Regd.), having been established on 30th March, 1957, is one of the oldest and the largest Association of Tax Professionals in the country. The Bar represents majority of members of various professions practicing in Direct & Indirect Taxes. Sales Tax Bar Association (Regd.) plays a major role in revenue collection by the department. Present membership of our Bar Association is more than 1700 comprising of Advocates, CA’s and Tax Practitioners. The Sales Tax Bar Association is the only Bar Association which-

i) regularly holds Study Circle Meetings every month in which eminent speakers deliver lectures;

ii) holds Group Discussions every month in which queries of the members, particularly the young members, are answered on the spot;

iii) is regularly imparting knowledge to the younger members of the fraternity by way of a programme called “Grooming the Young”.

iv) is regularly publishing its own law journal – Delhi Sales Tax Cases for the last 62 years;

v) is successfully running Benevolent Fund Scheme since 1975 under which financial assistance is provided to the family of a deceased member;

vi) is committed to and rendering Social Service.

Brought to your kind notice that our members are facing great difficulties in filing the Income Tax Returns and Tax Audit Reports within the prescribed time due to many changes introduced in the Income Tax Act. The Income Tax Returns of all taxpayers being Corporate and Non-Corporate whose accounts are required to be audited, are required to file their Income Tax Returns by 30th September, 2019.

That the income tax returns which are filed on the portal of the Income Tax Department are filed through the utility released by the Department time and again. These utilities should have been made available by 01.04.2019. The above utilities were available much after 01.04019. In case of ITR 6 the delay in release of utility is by 98 days. Such delays cause the tax payers to face a great deal of problems. The versions of the income tax return utilities have been frequently updated. Such updates have hampered the process of preparing / re preparing and filing the return of income by the tax payers.

The release date of the latest versions of utilities of the returns (as late as on September 12, 2019) applicable to the assessees whose returns are due on September 30, 2019. It can be clearly seen that most of the income tax return utilities applicable to the assessees whose returns are due on September 30, 2019 have been updated on September 12, 2019 i. e. just before 18 days from the due date of filing.

Due to such delays and updates, the extension was granted by a month for income tax returns due on July 31, 2019. The said extension also has caused a spill over of the return filing due on July 31, 2019 to the month of August 2019. This leaves only a month for carrying out Tax Audit and completing the filing of Audit report and Income Tax Return due on September 30, 2019, where in true essence the law provided for 2 months which is now curtailed. Due to the voluminous data required to be filed by assesses covered under tax audit as well as by companies, it is very difficult to complete the filings in half the time period against 2 months as prescribed by the law taxguru.in.

Many new/additional details are required to be given in the ITRs of assessment year 2019-20. Particularly in ITR 6, many new details need to be gathered and complied which are not readily available with the assessee. We shall be making a separate representation for the details to be submitted in ITR 6.

Also, Check tax audit extension.

Since heavy penalties have been introduced in the law, it is essential that the necessary data for the computation of income is complied with much greater care and thoroughly audited before the returns of income are uploaded. The late release of required utilities is also creating serious problems of uploading the tax returns.

In view of the above reasons, we would have requested your good office to provide an extension for a month, however, due to many important and widely celebrated festivals throughout the country, such as Navratri, Durga Pooja, Diwali etc., we request your good office to provide an extension upto November 15, 2019 for filing of income tax returns and tax audit reports by the assesses for whom the due date otherwise is September 30, 2019.

Hoping to receive your immediate attention and magnanimous consideration.

Thanking you,

Yours sincerely,
[Suresh Agrawal]
Secretary
(M): 9810197362

Download Representation in PDF Format

Details of Other Representation