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ITR Required if no income?

Peter Boxer (Consultant) (103 Points)

22 March 2020

I have had no income since FY 2016-17. ITR for FY 2017-18 was e-filed showing zero income. No ITR was filed for FY 2018-19.

IT Department has sent reminder to file for FY2018-19 (AY2019-20) latest by 31 March 2020.

Is it required to file even if no income? Can I ignore the reminder?

If I must file is there a penalty for filing late?

Thank you.

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8 Replies

RAJA P M ("Do the Right Thing...!!!") (128091 Points)
Replied 22 March 2020

Is it required to file even if no income?
- No... no need.

Can I ignore the reminder?
- Yes... you can ignore the reminder...

If I must file is there a penalty for filing late?

- no... no penalty is levied.

1 Like

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Peter Boxer (Consultant) (103 Points)
Replied 22 March 2020

Thank you.

I appreciate such a quick and helpful response.

RAJA P M ("Do the Right Thing...!!!") (128091 Points)
Replied 23 March 2020

You are most welcome...
It's my pleasure...

We got opportunity in CCI Website for guidance to query and also got knowledge from forums.

So, thanks to CCI...

Sarath Chandra (CA Final Student) (566 Points)
Replied 27 March 2020

Once an ITR is filed, then you cannot pause/stop filing ITR. Since, you filed your first ITR for FY 2017-18, you have to file for all the ensuing years irrespective of your income.
You shouldn't ignore the reminder.
You have to pay late fee of Rs. 1,000 for delay in filing ITR u/s 234F (as your income is less than Rs. 5 lakh).
Recently, due to impact of COVID-19, the govt has extended the deadline from 31st March 2020 to 30th June 2020.

RAJA P M ("Do the Right Thing...!!!") (128091 Points)
Replied 27 March 2020

Mr Sarath Chandra.,

Don't be post wrong replies...

Where you read or educated for this one 👉 "Once an ITR is filed, then you cannot pause/stop filing ITR"

Don't be wrong information Mr...

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Sarath Chandra (CA Final Student) (566 Points)
Replied 27 March 2020

Mr. Raja PM,
Then why will the dept issue a notice?

RAJA P M ("Do the Right Thing...!!!") (128091 Points)
Replied 27 March 2020

@ Mr Sarath Chandra.,

( Then why will the dept issue a notice? )

Find out why dept issued notice.... or
Ask the details from Your seniors.... or
Check out details of which cases notice issued by dept to Assessee...

Sarath Chandra (CA Final Student) (566 Points)
Replied 27 March 2020

I know that it's not mandatory to file ITR if there's no income.

And I also know that 'Once an ITR is filed, then you cannot pause/stop' is nowhere written. I've written that line so that assessee doesn't get any notice w.r.t non-filing.

If the assessee has sufficient documents to prove that there's no income, then there will not be any problem even if ITR is not filed.