Circular No. 19/2020
F. No.197/135/2020-ITA-I
Government of India
Ministry of Finance
Department of Revenue
Central Board of Direct Taxes
New Delhi, the 3rd November, 2020
Sub : Condonation of delay under section 119(2)(b) of the Income-tax Act, 1961 in filing of Form No. 10BB for Assessment Year 2016-17 and subsequent years-Reg.
Under the provisions of section 10(23C) of Income-tax Act, 1961 (hereafter’ Act’) where the total income, of the fund or trust or institution or any university or other educational institution or any hospital or other medical institution referred to in sub-clause (iv) or sub-clause (v) or sub-clause (vi) or sub-clause (via), without giving effect to the provisions of the said sub-clauses, exceeds the maximum amount which is not chargeable to tax in any previous year, such trust or institution or any university or other educational institution or any hospital or other medical institution shall get its accounts audited in respect of that year by an accountant as defined in the Explanation below sub-section (2) of section 288 before the specified date referred to in section 44AB and furnish by that date, the report of such audit in the prescribed form duly signed and verified by such accountant and setting forth such particulars as may be prescribed.
2. As per Rule 16CC of the Income-tax Rules, 1962 (hereafter ‘Rules’) the audit report of the accounts of such a fund or trust or institution or any university or other educational institution or any hospital or other medical institution is to be furnished in Form No. 10BB. As per Rule 12(2) of the Rules, such audit report is to be furnished electronically. The failure to furnish such report in the prescribed form along with the return results in disentitlement of such entity from claiming exemption under section 10(23C) of the Act.
3. Representations have been received by the Board/field authorities stating that Form No. 10BB could not be filed along with the return of income for AY 2016-17 and AY 2017-18. It has been requested that the delay in filing of Form No 10BB may be condoned.
4. Accordingly, with a view to expedite the disposal of applications filed by such entities for condoning the delay and in exercise of the powers conferred under section I 19(2) (b) of the Act, the Central Board of Direct Taxes hereby directs that:
(i) In all the cases of belated applications in filing of Form No. 10BB for years prior to AY. 2018-19, the Commissioners of Income-tax are authorized to admit such applications for condonation of delay u/s 119(2)(b) of the Act. The Commissioner will while entertaining such applications regarding filing Form No. 10BB shall satisfy themselves that the applicant was prevented by reasonable cause from filing such application within the stipulated time. Further, all such applications shall be disposed of by 31.03.2021.
(ii) where there is delay of upto 365 days in filing Form No. 10BB for Assessment Year 2018-19 or for any subsequent Assessment Years, the Commissioners of Income-tax are hereby authorized to admit such belated applications of condonation of delay under section 119(2) of the Income-tax Act, 1961 and decide on merits.
5. The Commissioners of Income-tax shall, while entertaining such belated applications in filing Form No. 10BB, satisfy themselves that the applicant was prevented by reasonable cause from filing such application within the stipulated time.