ITAT Rejects Congress Party's Appeal To Exempt ₹199.15 Crore From Income Tax, Cites Belated Filing Of Return

The Income Tax Appellate Tribunal (ITAT) rejected the Congress Party's appeal to exempt "₹199.15 crore" from income tax, citing "belated filing of return" and violation of cash donation rules. The tribunal ruled that the party failed to file its income tax return within the statutory due date for the assessment year 2018-19, and also accepted cash donations exceeding the permissible limit of ₹2,000 per donation. This decision underscores the strict compliance requirements for political parties to avail tax exemptions under Section 13A of the Income Tax Act, regardless of their status.