The Income Tax department has not extended the deadline to file income tax returns for 2015-16 to September 30, the department has clarified in a circular.

In a clarification carried on the PIB website, the income tax department has clarified that the order issued on September 26 about the extension of due date is fake.

"The Government has not extended the due date for filing of returns and audit report due by 30th September 2015. Tax payers and practitioners are advised not to give any credence to the fraudulent order."

A fake circular has been doing the rounds "under Section 119 of the Income tax Act 1961, under the signature of one Upmanyu Reddy, Under Secretary to the Government of India, which says that the government has extended the last date once again.