Political Party Must File Return by Due Date Under Section 13A to Claim Tax Exemption, ITAT Rules

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....The ITAT held that a political party claiming exemption under section 13A must file its return within the "due" date prescribed under section 139(1), as mandated by the third proviso to section 13A and section 139(4B). The party's return filed on 02.02.2019, although before the extended date under section 139(4), was beyond the "due" date and thus ineligible for exemption. The tribunal emphasized strict compliance with exemption conditions, rejecting the party's reliance on liberal filing provisions and pari materia sections. Consequently, the exemption claim under section 13A was denied, and the party's attempt to claim expenditure deductions on a netting basis was also disallowed, reaffirming that no deduction is permissible if the section 13A conditions are violated. The appeal was decided in favor of the revenue.....