I came to know that my ITR status for 2016-2017 is ‘return invalidated’. I am entitled for a refund of ₹5,400 for the same ITR. Can you please help me as to what should I do now? I understand that income tax department is giving an opportunity to file ITR for last five years from 2015 -2020 till September 30 this year. Should I file a new ITR for 2016-17?
–Ria Dasgupta
By Balwant Jain, Chief Editor, ApnaPaisa
What you understand is partially true. The income tax department is not giving you any opportunity to file afresh, your ITR for Assessment year starting from 2015-2016 till 2019-2020. However what the government has done is that it giving a fresh opportunity to verify your ITR already filed electronically for these years by September 30, 2020.
It seems your ITR has been invalidated due to non verification of the ITR filed. So for all practical purposes the ITR is not filed. However to give relief for such ITRs treated as not having been filed, you can now electronically verify your ITR for the Assessment year 2016-2017 by any of the following five ways prescribed under the income tax laws.
1) Through Aadhaar OTP
2) By logging into e-filing account through net banking
3) EVC through Bank Account Number
4) EVC through Demat Account Number
5) EVC through Bank ATM
To e-verify your ITR, please follow the following sequence:
Process to e-Verify — Post Login — My Account– e-Verify Return Data of Previous Years — Click and e-Verify– Select the verification option and verify the return data.
Alternatively, you can send the physical copy of the ITR V duly signed to the CPC Bengaluru through speed post.
I would suggest you to e-verify the ITR rather than sending the physical copy of the ITR to CPC as this is foolproof. The probability of the physical copy of ITR V misplaced at CPC cannot be ruled out.
There is another remedy also available for invalidated ITRs which for all practical purposes considers it as ITR having not been filed. Though under normal course you are not allowed to file ITR for more than one year generally but in case you are entitled to any refund, the CBDT has issued a circular no 9/2015 under which one can file ITR for past six years.
For that purpose you have to make an application for condonation of delay to the Principal commissioner of your jurisdiction and after obtaining order condoning the delay, you can file old ITRs also online giving reference to the order number.
But since the amount of refund involved in your case is very small, this course of action is not worth the efforts and costs.
