On 30 December 2020, the Press Information Bureau of India published a notice providing further extensions of the deadlines for the furnishing of income tax returns and audit reports for FY 2019-20 (AY 2020-21) as a result of the challenges faced by taxpayers due to the COVID-19 outbreak.

The due date for furnishing of Income Tax Returns for the Assessment Year 2020-21 for the taxpayers (including their partners) who are required to get their accounts audited and companies [for whom the due date, as per the provisions of section 139(1) of the Income-tax Act,1961, was 31^st October, 2020 and which was extended to 30^th November, 2020 and then to 31^st January, 2021] has been further extended to 15^th February, 2021.

The due date for furnishing of Income Tax Returns for the Assessment Year 2020-21 for the taxpayers who are required to furnish report in respect of international/specified domestic transactions [for whom the due date, as per the provisions of section 139(1) of the Income-tax Act,1961, was 30^th November, 2020 and which was extended to 31^st January, 2021] has been further extended to 15^th February, 2021.

The due date for furnishing of Income Tax Returns for the Assessment Year 2020-21 for the other taxpayers [for whom the due date, as per the provisions of section 139(1) of the Income-tax Act, 1961, was 31^st July, 2020 and which was extended to 30^th November, 2020 and then to 31^st December, 2020] has been further extended to 10^th January, 2021.

The date for furnishing of various audit reports under the Act including tax audit report and report in respect of international/specified domestic transaction for the Assessment Year 2020-21 has been further extended to 15^th January, 2021.