Punjab & Haryana High Court Directs CBDT To Extend Due Date Of Filing ITR For Assessees Who Are Required To File A udit Report

The Punjab & Haryana High Court directed the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) to extend the due date for filing income tax returns under Section 139(1) for assessees whose accounts are required to be audited under Section 44AB. The Court deemed that the extension of the tax-audit report due date (the “specified date”) without corresponding extension of the ITR filing date defeated the legislative intent of providing a one-month gap between the two compliances. The judgment provides relief to taxpayers and aligns procedural timelines with administrative realities.