Government extends last date for filing tax returns to Aug 5

New Delhi: TNN





The government on Monday extended the last date for filing income tax returns by five days to August 5 and also said taxpayers can link their Aadhaar number with their Permanent Account Number (PAN) by August 31. The finance ministry announced the extensions after taxpayers were unable to access the online tax filing site for a significant period on Monday . The last date for filing tax returns was July 31 and last minute filers rushed to upload their returns. The tax department had been urging taxpayers to file their returns by July 31and had launched a publicity campaign to ensure that the deadline was met.

The ministry said that for efiling of returns, it would be sufficient for now to quote the Aadhaar or acknowledgment number if one has applied for an Aadhaar number.

“The actual linking of PAN with Aadhaar can be done subsequently , but any time before 31st August, 2017. However, the returns will not be processed until the linkage of Aadhaar with PAN is done,“ the finance ministry said in a statement. The ministry said there re complaints that taxpayers were complaints that taxpayers were not being able to log on to the e-filing website of the income tax department. It also received complaints that taxpayers were not being able to link their Aadhaar number with PAN because of different names in the two databases.
The ministry said technical snags had been removed and the main reason for failure of people to log on was due to last minute rush and panic. Those who had already logged in wanted to continue for the entire period for fear of losing their data.