According to section 139(1) of the Income Tax Act, an assessee needs to file Income Tax Return (ITR) on or before the due date of filing ITR when the total annual income exceeds the maximum amount, which is not chargeable to income tax. 

Currently, the income limit beyond which filing ITR becomes mandatory is Rs 2.5 lakh in a Financial Year (FY) as the tax rate on income up to Rs 2.5 lakh is 0%.

However, even if an individual doesn’t have taxable income, he/she may still have to file ITR in case the individual had received any income during the FY, on which tax was deducted at source (TDS). Not only to claim the TDS amount back as income tax refund, but filing ITR is also necessary in such cases.

Even if it is not mandatory for an individual to file his/her ITR as per the above provisions, filing return of income would still be essential this year if one or more conditions mentioned in the seventh proviso to section 139(1) is/are fulfilled.

Under the following circumstances, it becomes mandatory for you to file a return of income under Seventh proviso to section 139(1), which otherwise was not required due to the level of your income.

(a) If you have deposited more than Rs. 1 crore in one or more current account maintained with a bank or a co-operative bank;

(b) If you have spent more than Rs. 2 lakh for himself or any other person for travel to a foreign country; or

(c) If you have spent more than Rs. 1 lakh towards payment of electricity bill during FY 19-20.

So, in case you fulfill any of the above conditions, you have to file your ITR on or before the extended due date of November 30, 2020.