Physical Filing of ITR: In view of the difficulties in the income tax portal, the Gujarat High Court directed the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) to adopt a practical method. On this, CBDT clarified that now physical filing of tax audit report is not possible.
New Delhi. Taxpayers who have not yet filed Income Tax Return (ITR Filing) due to difficulties in the Income Tax Portal can complete this process by 31 March 2022 with a fine of Rs 5000. Meanwhile, the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) has said that physical filing of tax audit reports and income tax returns are no longer practical.
The Gujarat High Court had asked the Central Government to consider allowing physical filing of returns in view of the technical difficulties of the Income Tax portal. The Southern Gujarat Income Tax Bar Association had filed a petition in the High Court demanding the submission of a physical copy of the tax audit report and ITR.
Court said, CBDT should adopt practical method
A bench of Justice JB Pardiwala and Justice Nisha M Thakor of the Gujarat High Court, while hearing the matter, said that the government should allow physical filing in view of the shortcomings of the income tax portal. Also said that the Central Board of Direct Taxes of the government should adopt some practical method for filing ITR. At the same time, experts say that if the government allows physical filing in view of the shortcomings of the income tax portal, then it will only benefit the taxpayers.
Demand to extend the date of filing return
A Public Interest Litigation was also filed in this regard on behalf of the Chartered Accountant groups. It was said that the new income tax portal is not working properly. Therefore, the date for filing the tax audit report and return (ITR filing deadline) for the assessment year 2021-22 should be extended. On this, a two-judge bench said that the income tax officers should solve the problems being faced in return filing. On this, it was said by CBDT that taxpayers will now have to file ITR online only. Physical filing is no longer possible.
