The Central Board of Direct Taxes in its notification dated 13th July 2020 has granted one-time relaxation for verification of tax return for the Assessment Year 2015-16, 2016-17, 2017-18, 2018-19 and 2019-20, which are pending due to non-filing of ITR- V form and processing of such returns.
The taxpayer filing Income tax return electronically without a digital signature has to verify it using either Aadhaar one-time password (OTP), or logging into e-filing account through net banking, or by Electronic Verification Code (EVC) or by sending a duly signed physical copy of ITR-V through post to CPC Bengaluru within 120 days of uploading the ITR.
In this regard, it has been brought to the notice of Central Board of Direct Taxes that a large number of electronically filed ITRs still remain pending with the Income tax Department for want of receipt of a valid ITR-V Form at CPC, Bengaluru from the taxpayers concerned.
Therefore as a one-time measure for resolving the grievances of the taxpayers associated with non-filing of ITR-V for earlier assessment years and to regularize such returns which have either become ‘non-est’ or have remained pending for non-filing or non-receipt of ITR-V form, the CBDT has permitted verification of electronically filed tax returns for assessment years 2015-16, 2016-17, 2017-18, 2018-19 and 2019-20 either by sending a duly signed physical copy of ITR-V to CPC Bengaluru through speed post or through EVC/OTP modes. Such verification process must be completed by September 30, 2020. Further, it has clarified that this relaxation shall not apply in those cases, where during the intervening period, the Income Tax Department has already taken recourse to any other measure as specified in the Act for ensuring filing of a tax return by the taxpayer concerned after declaring the return as Non-est.
Click here to read the notification.
