Deadline extended for filing income tax returns in Sikkim

Gangtok, Oct 1 (UNI) The Centre has extended the last date of filing of Income Tax returns to October 31 for Sikkim.

The filing of returns for Sikkim had earlier ended on July 31.

The Finance Ministry in a statement today said the date has been extended for Sikkim in view of the delay in issuing instructions about the filing of income tax returns by non-Sikkimese residing in Sikkim.

''The Central Board of Direct Taxes has extended the last date of filing of income tax returns, due by 31st July 2008, to 31st October 2008 in the state of Sikkim in view of the delay in issuing of Instruction No. 8/2008 in respect of filing of income-tax return by non-Sikkimese residing in that state,'' the statement said.

Under the new order that non-exempted Sikkimese people living the state were liable to be taxed under the Income Tax Act, 1961 from the assessment year of 2007-08 and other clauses.

The central Income Tax Act was being implemented in Sikkim from this year and Sikkimese persons with Sikkimese Subject Certificates have been exempted from direct taxes.

However, the instruction had been issued on July 29 directing the non-exempted Sikkimese people to file their returns by July 31.

This was practically not possible for the non-exempted Sikkimese people (who were also not very keen) to file their returns in a span of two working days. At this time, the Income Tax office in Sikkim was also non-existent and only started its operations from August 6.

The Finance Ministry has given similar extensions to Orissa, Jammu and Kashmir and Bihar in view floods and political disturbances in these states.

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