High Court to Extend Tax Audit Deadline if Portal Glitches Not Resolved

The Gujarat high court has directed the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) to resolve the technical glitches in new income tax portal. As the taxpayers have been facing issues while filing their Tax Audit Report (TAR) and Income tax returns (ITYR).

“There is no need for CBDT to be happy because 35% of assessees are finding it difficult to upload their reports and 65% are yet to file their tax audit report and IT returns and now we have less than one month left,” it said, as reported by TOI.

Even on 10^th February 2022, just five days ahead of the deadline, if the assessees continue to face the problem, the court would extend the deadline to 15^th March, 2022, it added.

However, Chartered accountants’ (CAs’) association has already requested a deadline extension, citing problems with the newly implemented I-T site. They have also requested access to file tax returns and reports in person. For the assessment year 2021-22, the deadlines for filing TAR and ITR (for specified tax payers) are 15^th February and 15^th March, respectively.

In this regard Bench of Judges has instructed, “Ask the highest authority to file an affidavit with regard to the problems that have cropped up and they may be immediately attended. If the problem is not attended, the officer will be personally responsible for it. If the CBDT is to adopt a very obstinate attitude, which we don’t appreciate, they should also keep in mind the Tax payers’ problems as on date.

Further, the HC has called for an affidavit in this regard from the authorities. The judges said that there are glitches in filing reports on I-T portal and the authorities cannot run away from it. “When they are confident of taking care of the situation, let them solve it,” the court said.

“Issuance of a writ will have its effect across the country. Let’s see what CBDT has to say about it,” the judges said and added that the court would also clarify that the assessees would not be fastened with any liability of penalty or interest, if the department is not able to solve the problem, as reported by TOI.

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