If you are one of those who for some reasons have not been able to file the Income Tax Returns by end of today, worry not…. The due date for E-Filing of Income Tax Returns for Assessment Year 2012-13 has been extended by a month up to 31st August, 2012. You now have a full extra month to file your returns – No excuses for not filing the returns anymore!
It is interesting that the announcement made by CBDT (Central Board of Direct Taxes) today says that they have done it due to the power failure that most of the North India experienced yesterday as well because e-filing has been made mandatory for some individuals.
The official statement says:
On consideration of the reports of disturbance of general life caused due to failure of power and further in consideration of the fact that the e-filing of returns for a specified category of individuals and HUF has been made mandatory, the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT), in exercise of powers conferred under section 119 of the Income Tax Act, 1961, has extended the ‘due date’ of filing of returns of income for the Assessment Year 2012-13 to 31st August 2012.
To be honest, more often than not the date for filing tax return is extended. It has become so common that many individuals actually wait for the extension and then file the returns. However, bear in mind that only date for e-filing of tax returns has been extended and not the normal physical filing.
Everybody waits for the last minute to file their returns and given that the website kept crashing repeatedly due to the large volume of traffic, it is not surprising that they had to extend the deadline. As you correctly said they have to do it every year anyway! Must be a frustrating job to get people to file on time.. Besides doesn’t every other deadline in india seem to be getting extended?
please send notification and guidelines
It seems E-Filing is extended only for those who are residing in North India, due to power problem.