Catholic Bishops demand holiday on Mar 31 for I-T offices

The Catholic Bishops' Conference of India today demanded that the Income Tax offices be given holiday on Easter and urged the government to defer the last day of filing the returns falling on March 31.
The Income Tax Department had decided to keep open offices on March 30 and 31, despite it being Saturday and Sunday, for the benefit of tax-payers who want to file their returns and conduct other tax related businesses.
In a statement, CBCI Secretary General Archbishop Albert D'Souza said the Income department should keep in mind the religious sentiments of the Christian community which will celebrate Easter on March 31 and revoke its decision to declare it as a working day.

"The Income Tax Department may have a specific reason to declare Sunday, 31st March a working day. But the Christian Community in India has a more specific reason to request the Government to defer the last day of filing the returns and to keep March 31, Sunday, as a holiday itself.
"The CBCI expects the UPA Government will appreciate and honour the legitimate demand of the Christian Community and do whatever possible to avoid hurting the religious sentiments of the Christian Community in India," D'Souza said.
The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) has taken the measure as March 27 and 29 are also holidays owing to Holi and Good Friday and the offices would be closed then, an official had said.