Centre extends deadline for filing Income Tax Returns till September 30 due to COVID-19

In view of the rising COVID-19 pandemic, the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) has extended the due date for filing of Income Tax Returns for FY 2018-19 (AY 2019-20) from July 31 to September 30. The decision has been taken keeping in view the constraints of lockdown and to ease compliances for taxpayers. The announcement was made by the Income Tax Department after the Ministry of Finance issued a notification in this regard on Wednesday. This is the third extension for taxpayers to file both original and revised tax returns for 2018-19 fiscal.

Niraj Kumar, Deputy Secretary (Tax Policy and Legislation Division), in the notification said: "This notification shall come into force from the date of its publication in the Official Gazette."

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India's COVID-19 tally crosses 15-lakh mark

India's COVID-19 tally zoomed past 15 lakh on Wednesday, two days after it crossed the 14-lakh mark, with48,513fresh cases recorded in a day while the recoveries surged to 9,88,029, according to the Union Health Ministry data.  The total coronavirus cases climbed to15,31,669, while the country's death toll due to the disease rose to 34,193 with 768 deaths being reported in a 24-hour span, the data updated at 8 am showed. There are 5,09,447 active cases of coronavirus infection in the country presently. The recovery rate among COVID-19 patients has risen to 64.51 percent.

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This is the seventh consecutive day that COVID-19 cases have increased by more than 45,000. According to the ICMR, a cumulative total of 1,77,43,740 samples have been tested up toJuly 28 with 4,08,855 samples being tested on Tuesday. 

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