The last date for filing Income Tax returns for FY2019-20 has now been extended by a month to December 31, the Union government announced on Saturday. For those taxpayers whose accounts need to be audited, the Income Tax return filing deadline has been extended by two months to January 31, 2021.

The government had in May extended the date for filing ITR for FY2019-20 from July 31 to November 30, to give compliance relief to taxpayers.

In a statement, the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) said, "The due date for furnishing of Income Tax Returns for the taxpayers [for whom the due date (i.e. before the extension by the said notification) as per the Act was July 31, 2020] has been extended to December 31, 2020."

The due date for furnishing of ITR for the taxpayers, who are required to get their accounts audited (for whom the due date as per the I-T Act is October 31, 2020), has been extended to January 31, 2021, it added.

The CBDT said the deadlines have been extended in order to "provide more time to taxpayers for furnishing of Income Tax Returns".

The Union government had earlier brought in the Taxation and Other Laws (Relaxation of Certain Provisions) Ordinance, 2020 to extend various time limits due to the pandemic.  The ordinance was later replaced with the Taxation and Other Laws (Relaxation and Amendment of Certain Provisions) Act.

The Union government also said the deadline taxpayers who are required to furnish a report in respect of international/specified domestic transactions has been extended from November 30 to January 31, 2021. 

The due date for payment of self-assessment tax of small and middle class taxpayers whose self-tax liability is upto Rs 1 lakh has been extended to January 31, 2021 from December 31.