Madras High Court condones Singaporean company's ITR delay citing genuine hardship under Section 119(2)(b)

The Madras High Court has condoned the delay in filing Income Tax Returns (ITR) by a Singaporean company, Tiong Woon Project & Contracting Pte. Ltd., citing genuine hardship under Section 119(2)(b) of the Income Tax Act. The company faced difficulties due to the requirement to await an Authority for Advance Rulings (AAR) decision on its tax liability in India before filing ITR. The delay was due to the prolonged wait for the AAR ruling, which eventually confirmed the company's tax obligations in India. The court directed the company to pay Rs. 50,000 to the Tamil Nadu State Legal Services Authority (TNSLSA) as costs for the delay, while granting relief from penalties for late filing.