New Delhi, Sep 25 (IANS) The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) announced on Thursday that it has extended the specified date for filing various audit reports for the previous year 2024–25 (Assessment Year 2025–26), from September 30 to October 31, for assessees referred to in clause (a) of Explanation 2 to sub-section (1) of section 139 of the Income Tax Act, 1961.

The Board has received representations from various professional associations, including Chartered Accountant bodies, highlighting certain difficulties being faced by taxpayers and practitioners in the timely completion of audit reports. The reasons cited in these representations include disruptions caused by floods and natural calamities in certain parts of the country, which have impeded normal business and professional activity. This matter has also come up before the High Courts, the press statement said.

The statement also clarified that the Income-tax e-filing portal has been operating smoothly and without any technical glitches, and the Tax Audit Reports are being uploaded successfully. The system is stable and fully functional, enabling the submission of various statutory forms and reports. At the close of September 24, 4,02,000 Tax Audit Reports (TARs) were uploaded, with over 60,000 TARs uploaded on the day itself. Furthermore, more than 7.57 crore ITRS have been filed till September 23.

However, keeping in view the representation of the tax practitioners and their submissions before the courts, the ‘specified date’ for furnishing of the report of audit under any provision of the Income Tax Act, 1961, for the Previous Year 2024- 25 (Assessment Year 2025-26), in the case of assessees referred to in clause (a) of Explanation 2 to sub-section (1) of section 139 of the Act is extended from September 30 to October 31, the statement added.

Section 139(1) pertains to the submission of both voluntary and obligatory income tax returns, requiring individuals and entities with income surpassing the exemption threshold to file their returns by the specified deadline.

–IANS

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