Various departments from the chartered accountants (CAs) throughout the country have urged the finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman to prolong the last date for furnishing the income-tax (I-T), goods and services tax (GST), along with the additional audits in context to the difficulties faced due to coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
From time to time the CA department is requesting for the prolongation of the deadlines. Recently they have proposed the finance minister to address the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) to prolong all the expected dates for the assessment year 2020-21 to 31 March 2021.
The letter is signed by presidents of Bombay Chartered Accountants’ Society (BCAS), Chartered Accountants Association of Ahmedabad, Chartered Accountants Association of Surat, Karnataka State Chartered Accountants’ Association, and Lucknow Chartered Accountants’ Society.
The comment reveals that “Most professionals and their client taxpayers are of the view that it is very difficult to meet the various deadlines for income-tax compliances as their focus right now is on getting their operations on track. Most of the business establishments as well as tax professionals are finding it difficult to operate at full capacity. The shortage of manpower has paralyzed the continuity of work. All such issues are making it virtually impossible for most of our members and the taxpayers to adhere to the revised due dates of 31 December 2020.”
CA department specified that excluding the problems from the pandemic the other complex compliances such as furnishing the Income-tax return forms 
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31 December 2020 is the last date to furnish the yearly reconciliation statement (GSTR 9C) including the yearly return (GSTR9) for the fiscal year 2018-2019.
For the fiscal year, 2019-2020 the last date for furnishing the financial statements with several law authorities is being prolonged. “Therefore, in the absence of finalized audited financial statements, the process of GST Audit cannot begin. Further, the GST portal has enabled the filing of the GST Audit Reports 
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“In view of the above-mentioned genuine difficulties faced by the assessee of the country, we humbly request you to kindly direct the CBDT to extend all the deadlines under the Income-tax Act for AY2020-21 to 31 March 2021 and to extend the due dates for FY 2018-19 and 2019-20 under GST Act also to 31 March 2021,” said in the presentation.
