Alert For Taxpayers! No Deadline Extension For Filing Income Tax Return; Notification Is Fake

The Income Tax (IT) department took to micro-blogging site Twitter and posted a copy of the fake notification along with an advisory tweet for taxpayers not to fall prey to such fake news.

As stated earlier by the tax department, September 30 remains to the last date for filing of ITR. (File Photo/ Getty)

New Delhi: The Income Tax (IT) department on Wednesday issued a clarification regarding a fake notification which has gone viral on social media claiming that the due date to fill income tax return (ITRs) for assesses whose accounts are subject to audit has been extended by the government by two weeks October 15. The IT department took to micro-blogging site Twitter and posted a copy of the fake notification along with an advisory tweet for taxpayers not to fall prey to such fake news. The fake notification, doing rounds on social media, falsely stated that the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) has extended the last date for filing income tax return from September 30 to October 15, on the basis of representations made by various stakeholders. However, the tax department soon made it clarified that the circular was nothing but a false claim and asked taxpayers to stay alert to such fake news. “The notification of due date extension pertaining to filing of ITRs that is being circulated on social media platforms is not genuine. Taxpayers are advised not to fall prey to such false news,” the Income Tax department said in a tweet.

The notification of due date extension pertaining to filing of ITRs that is being circulated on social media platforms is not genuine. Taxpayers are advised not to fall prey to such false news. pic.twitter.com/PrEOewprQa

— Income Tax India (@IncomeTaxIndia) September 24, 2019

As stated earlier by the tax department, September 30 remains to the last date for filing of ITR for all those whose accounts are to be audited including companies, partnership firms, proprietorships and others. This is for the second time in the past two months that the IT department has issued such advisory against fake news pertaining to extension of ITR deadline. A similar notification was circulating across social media just a day before the due date for filing ITR by individuals. The notification claimed that the last date had been extended to September 30 from August 31.