The government has withdrawn the facility for tax payers to submit Income Tax (I-T) returns through post offices.
The Department of Posts was authorised to receive returns of income in July, 2006 as a one time measure in view of circumstances then and this scheme has now been discontinued, the Finance Ministry said here.

Last year government introduced the system of accepting IT returns through post offices due to extraordinary circumstances of threat of strike by income tax employees, official sources said.

Income tax offices throughout the country will remain open on July 28 and 29 despite these two days being holidays (Saturday and Sunday) to accept returns of income from taxpayers, the Ministry said. The last date for filing I-T returns is July 31 for salaried individuals, self-employed, small enterprises with a turnover of less than Rs 40 lakh and professionals with receipts of less than Rs 10 lakh a year.

Finance Minister P Chidambaram has ruled out any extension of the last day for receipt of IT returns for the assessment year 2007-08.

However,, under unavoidable circumstances tax payers can submit returns till March 31, 2008 provided they have deposited all due taxes.