Income Tax News: The Income Tax Department has already extended the last date for filing Income Tax Returns (ITR) for the financial year 2024-25 (Assessment Year 2025-26) to September 15, 2025. This deadline is applicable to individual taxpayers and others whose accounts are not liable for audit.
With just a week left, the data from the Income Tax portal indicates that the pace of filings is still below expectations. As of September 7, 2025, the department reported:
- 13.35 crore individual registered users
- 4.89 crore ITRs filed for AY 2025-26
- 4.63 crore returns verified
- 3.35 crore verified ITRs processed
Why Are Professionals Asking For An Extension?
Several professional and trade bodies have urged the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) to further extend the deadline, citing unresolved system-related issues this year:
- Federation of Karnataka Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FKCCI) and Chartered Accountants Association, Surat (CAAS) highlighted late release of ITR utilities, recurring portal glitches, and high compliance burden.
- The Bombay Chartered Accountants’ Society (BCAS) in a letter dated September 1 requested an extension for ITR filing, tax audit cases, and Transfer Pricing filings.
- The Tax Bar Association, Bhilwara, comprising CAs, tax practitioners, advocates, and consultants, also sought more time due to delays in AIS, TIS, and Form 26AS updates, mismatches in dividend and capital gains data, and frequent timeouts during peak filing hours.
- The Chandigarh Chartered Accountants Taxation Association (CCATAX) and Gujarat Chamber of Commerce & Industry (GCCI) pointed out compressed timelines due to staggered utility releases.
Key Issues Reported by Tax Professionals
- Delayed release of forms and utilities, significantly reducing the time available for accurate preparation.
- Mismatch in AIS, TIS, and Form 26AS reports, complicating the reconciliation process.
- Portal performance issues, including frequent timeouts and login failures during peak hours.
- Increased compliance requirements under new formats introduced this year.
No Official Announcement Yet
Despite growing demands for more time, the CBDT has not officially announced any further extension of the September 15 deadline. Taxpayers whose accounts are not subject to audit are advised to complete their filings by the due date to avoid penalties.
The safe approach is to file the ITR as soon as possible rather than relying on a potential extension, especially given the persistent technical issues reported.
