The Gujarat High Court has adjourned the petition filed by the All Gujarat Federation of Tax Consultants to extend the due date for filing tax audit report to next week for further hearing.
On Monday, the Court had issued notice to the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT), chief commissioner Income Tax and the Centre. On the same day, the CBDT had extended the due date for filing of Income-Tax returns and the tax audit reports to October 15.
Before the High Court, the petitioners prayed for a direction to the CBDT to extend the due date for filing income tax returns with tax audit reports from 30.09.2018 to 30.11.2018. Their grievance is that multiple changes were made by the Government of India in the procedural as well as substantial requirements for filing such returns and audit reports.
The petitioners, however, clarified that the petition will not be withdrawn and the date for an assessee, who is liable to pay interest for defaulting on furnishing returns has not been extended.
The petition stated that it was not possible for tax consultants to filed the returns within the time period given (September 30) as the government had not clarified on several particulars as far as tax audits were concerned. The counsel appeared for the petitioners, Advocate B S Soparkar argued that in the absence of clarifications it was not possible to file the returns within the said period. The petition had also stated that the department kept on changing forms meant for the filing of returns on a regular basis leading to difficulty in filing the returns. Further hearing in the case will be held on 4th October.
