Claim circulating about the extension of Income Tax Return Filing Deadline. Read the Fact Check

A post is getting viral on the social media platform X, where a news cutting published by a reputed Gujarat newspaper Sandeshnews can be seen circulating online claiming that the date for e-filing of ITR has been extended to August 31, 2024.

Fact Check

DFRAC deliberately examined this claim and upon investigating the online platforms like Grow and the official X account of Income Tax Department we found that the official last date for ITR filing without late fees remains July 31, 2024.

The Income Tax Department of India has explicitly refuted the viral claim, labeling it as “FAKE NEWS” on their official X account. As of July 22, 2024, over 4 crore ITRs have already been filed. The false information originated from a circulating newspaper cutting from SandeshNews. The Income Tax Department has advised taxpayers to follow updates only from their official website and portal to avoid misinformation.

Conclusion

The claim that the ITR filing deadline has been extended to August 31, 2024, is misleading. The official deadline remains July 31, 2024. This misinformation, originating from a Sandeshnews cutting and circulating on social media, could potentially cause confusion among taxpayers and lead to late filings if acted upon. It’s crucial for taxpayers to verify such information from official sources to avoid penalties and ensure timely compliance with tax regulations.