india

Updated: Sep 25, 2019 16:31 IST

The Income Tax department has advised taxpayers to not fall prey to a fake notification being circulated on the social media claiming that the deadline for filing of Income Tax Returns had been extended by two weeks to October 15. The IT department posted a copy of the fake notification along with the advisory tweet to alert all tax payers.

“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 tweet said.

September 30 is the last date for filing of ITR for all those whose accounts are to be audited like companies, partnership firms, proprietorships, etc.

The fake notification claims that the IT department took the decision after due consideration following representations from various stakeholders requesting an extension. The deadline, which was being extended till October 15, will not be extended further it said.

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

This is the second such instance of fake IT notification doing the rounds in the recent times, the first one, circulated last month claimed, that the last date of filing of ITRs for individuals had been extended.

The Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) had recently written to the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT), which frames policies for the I-T department, requesting that the last date of filing ITRs for audited entities be extended to November 30, according to a livemint.com report.

“We would like to inform members that based on the feedback about the various technical and practical difficulties being faced by tax payers in filing of the new forms of returns of income for assessment year 2019-20, the difficulties being faced by the taxpayers in filing the ITR Forms as well as tax audit report under section 44AB by 30th September 2019 have been conveyed to the CBDT vide a representation dated 16th September 2019,” Livemint.com quoted ICAI as saying in a note to all its members.

The body had also said it is regularly following up with the office of the CBDT for consideration of its request for extension of due date of ITR and TAR filing.