Chartered Accountant · ICAI M.No. 153926 · FRN 136869W
30 September report, 31 October return
The report goes first, then the return. Confirm exact dates, which are occasionally extended.
Order matters
The return references the audit report’s acknowledgement, so the audit must be filed and accepted first.
Plan backwards from the deadline
Because the return for an audit case can’t be filed until the audit report is uploaded and accepted, work backwards: aim to close your books and hand records to your auditor well before the September report deadline, leaving room for queries. A late audit report not only attracts the Section 271B penalty but also delays the return, which can mean interest under Sections 234A and 234B and the loss of the right to carry forward business losses. The dates are occasionally extended by the CBDT, but treating the original deadline as firm is the safe approach — extensions are announced late and shouldn’t be relied on. A practical timeline is to finalise books by July, give the auditor August for fieldwork and queries, file the report in September, and the return in October — with a buffer for unexpected reconciliation issues.