Section 3 - Relaxation of certain provisions of specified Act - The Taxation and Other Laws (Relaxation and Amendment of Certain Provisions) Act, 2020

CHAPTER II RELAXATION OF CERTAIN PROVISIONS OF SPECIFIED ACT Relaxation of certain provisions of specified Act 3. (1) Where, any time-limit has been specified in, or prescribed or notified under, the specified Act which falls during the period from the 20th day of March, 2020 to the 31st day of December, 2020, or such other date after the 31st day of December, 2020, as the Central Government may, by notification, specify in this behalf, for the completion or compliance of such action as- (a) completion of any proceeding or passing of any order or issuance of any notice, intimation, notification, sanction or approval, or such other action, by whatever name called, by any authority, commission or tribunal, by whatever name called, under the provisions of the specified Act; or (b) filing of any appeal, reply or application or furnishing of any report, document, return or statement or such other record, by whatever name called, under the provisions of the specified Act; or (c) in case where the specified Act is the Income-tax Act, 1961(43 of 1961) ,- (i) making of investment, deposit, payment, acquisition, purchase, construction or such other action, by whatever name called, for the purposes of claiming any deduction, exemption or allowance under the provisions contained in- (I) sections 54 to 54GB, or under any provisions of Chapter VI-A under the heading B.-Deductions in respect of certain payments thereof; or (II) such other provisions of that Act, subject to fulfilment of such conditions, as the Central Government may, by notification, specify; or (ii) beginning of manufacture or production of articles or things or providing any services referred to in section 10AA of that Act, in a case where the letter of approval, required to be issued in accordance with the provisions of the Special Economic Zones Act, 2005 (28 of 2005), has been issued on or before the 31st day of March, 2020, and where completion or compliance of such action has not been made within such time, then, the time-limit for completion or compliance of such action shall, notwithstanding anything contained in the specified Act, stand extended to the 31st day of March, 2021, or such other date after the 31st day of March, 2021, as the Central Government may, by notification, specify in this behalf: Provided that the Central Government may specify different dates for completion or compliance of different actions: Provided further that such action shall not include payment of any amount as is referred to in sub-section (2): Provided also that where the specified Act is the Income-tax Act, 1961 (43 of 1961) and the compliance relates to- (i) furnishing of return under section 139 thereof, for the assessment year commencing on the- (a) 1st day of April, 2019, the provision of this sub-section shall have the effect as if for the figures, letters and words 31st day of March, 2021 , the figures, letters and words 30th day of September, 2020 had been substituted; (b) 1st day of April, 2020, the provision of this sub-section shall have the effect as if for the figures, letters and words 31st day of March, 2021 , the figures, letters and words 30th day of November, 2020 had been substituted; (ii) delivering of statement of deduction of tax at source under sub-section (2A) of section 200 of that Act or statement of collection of tax at source under sub-section (3A) of section 206C thereof for the month of February or March, 2020, or for the quarter ending on the 31st day of March, 2020, as the case may be, the provision of this sub-section shall have the effect as if for the figures, letters and words 31st day of March, 2021 , the figures, letters and words 15th day of July, 2020 had been substituted; (iii) delivering of statement of deduction of tax at source under sub-section (3) of section 200 of that Act or statement of collection of tax at source under proviso to sub-section (3) of section 206C thereof for the month of February or March, 2020, or for the quarter ending on the 31st day of March, 2020, as the case may be, the provision of this sub-section shall have the effect as if for the figures, letters and words 31st day of March, 2021 , the figures, letters and words 31st day of July, 2020 had been substituted; (iv) furnishing of certificate under section 203 of that Act in respect of deduction or payment of tax under section 192 thereof for the financial year commencing on the 1st day of April, 2019, the provision of this sub-section shall have the effect as if for the figures, letters and words 31st day of March, 2021 , the figures, letters and words 15th day of August, 2020 had been substituted; (v) sections 54 to 54GB of that Act, referred to in item (I) of sub-clause (i) of clause (c), or sub-clause (ii) of the said clause, the provision of this sub-section shall have the effect as if- (a) for the figures, letters and words 31st day of December, 2020 , the figures, letters and words 29th day of September, 2020 had been substituted for the time-limit for the completion or compliance; and (b) for the figures, letters and words 31st day of March, 2021 , the figures, letters and words 30th day of September, 2020 had been substituted for making such completion or compliance; (vi) any provisions of Chapter VI-A under the heading B.- Deductions in respect of certain payments of that Act, referred to in item (I) of sub-clause (i) of clause (c), the provision of this sub-section shall have the effect as if- (a) for the figures, letters and words 31st day of December, 2020 , the figures, letters and words 30th day of July, 2020 had been substituted for the time-limit for the completion or compliance; and (b) for the figures, letters and words 31st day of March, 2021 , the figures, letters and words 31st day of July, 2020 had been substituted for making such completion or compliance; (vii) furnishing of report of audit under any provision thereof for the assessment year commencing on the 1st day of April, 2020, the provision of this sub-section shall have the effect as if for the figures, letters and words 31st day of March, 2021 , the figures, letters and words 31st day of October, 2020 had been substituted: Provided also that the extension of the date as referred to in sub-clause (b) of clause (i) of the third proviso shall not apply to Explanation 1 to section 234A of the Income-tax Act, 1961 (43 of 1961) in cases where the amount of tax on the total income as reduced by the amount as specified in clauses (i) to (vi) of sub-section (1) of the said section exceeds one lakh rupees: Provided also that for the purposes of the fourth proviso, in case of an individual resident in India referred to in sub-section (2) of section 207 of the Income-tax Act, 1961 (43 of 1961), the tax paid by him under section 140A of that Act within the due date (before extension) provided in that Act, shall be deemed to be the advance tax: Provided also that where the specified Act is the Direct Tax Vivad Se Vishwas Act, 2020 (3 of 2020), the provision of this sub-section shall have the effect as if- (a) for the figures, letters and words 31st day of December, 2020 , the figures, letters and words 30th day of December, 2020 had been substituted for the time limit for the completion or compliance of the action; and (b) for the figures, letters and words 31st day of March, 2021 , the figures, letters and words 31st day of December, 2020 had been substituted for making such completion or compliance. (2) Where any due date has been specified in, or prescribed or notified under the specified Act for payment of any amount towards tax or levy, by whatever name called, which falls during the period from the 20th day of March, 2020 to the 29th day of June, 2020 or such other date after the 29th day of June, 2020 as the Central Government may, by notification, specify in this behalf, and if such amount has not been paid within such date, but has been paid on or before the 30th day of June, 2020, or such other date after the 30th day of June, 2020, as the Central Government may, by notification, specify in this behalf, then, notwithstanding anything contained in the specified Act,- (a) the rate of interest payable, if any, in respect of such amount for the period of delay shall not exceed three-fourth per cent. for every month or part thereof; (b) no penalty shall be levied and no prosecution shall be sanctioned in respect of such amount for the period of delay. Explanation. -For the purposes of this sub-section, the period of delay means the period between the due date and the date on which the amount has been paid.