S. 245A Income Tax Act | Kerala High Court Allows Settlement Application Filed Beyond Cutoff Date, Citing SC's COVID Limitation Order

The Kerala High Court has allowed a settlement application filed beyond the cutoff date under Section 245A of the Income Tax Act, citing the Supreme Court's Covid-19 limitation order. This compassionate decision provides crucial relief, recognizing that the extraordinary circumstances of the pandemic necessitated an extension of statutory deadlines. Section 245A relates to the Income Tax Settlement Commission, a mechanism for resolving tax disputes. The court's ruling applies the Supreme Court's general order on limitation periods during Covid-19 to tax settlement applications, ensuring that taxpayers were not prejudiced by their inability to file within original deadlines.