To complete the income tax returns (ITR) filing process, an individual is required to verify the return filed by him. The return must be verified within 120 days of filing. Verification can be done digitally (using Aadhaar, one-time password etc.) or by sending the physical copy of ITR-V to the Central Processing Centre, Bengaluru, of the income tax department.
An ITR filed but not verified is treated as an invalid return by the income tax department. An invalid return would mean that you have not filed the ITR for a particular assessment year. In that case, you would be required to file the ITR again as belated return because your original one is treated as invalid.
However, in case there was genuine hardship faced by you due to which you could not verify your ITR on time, then there is a way which can save you from the hassle of filing your return again. An individual can file a condonation delay request (or accepting and giving reasons explaining why one hasn't verified their ITR) on the income tax e-filing website.
Chetan Chandak, Head of Tax Research, H&R Block India says, "The income tax department has been given wide authority by the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) under section 119(2)(b) of the Income Tax Act to admit an application or claim for any exemption, deduction, refund or any other relief after the expiry of the period specified under the Act. Therefore, such powers of wide authority should include the powers to condone the delay in specific cases of failure to submit ITR-V as well."
However, such relief is given to taxpayers based on certain criteria. Following are the criteria based on which an individual's request for condonation delay can be accepted:
a) There is a genuine hardship on merits; b) Claim is genuine and correct;
c) Income for which ITR is filed, is not assessable in the hands of any other person.
How to file condonation delay request An individual can file condonation delay request by logging into his account on the Income Tax e-filing website. Following are the steps using which one can file this request:
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