Government Extends ITR Filing Deadline to September 16 Amid Technical Glitches on E-Filing Portal

The deadline for filing income tax returns (ITRs) for Assessment Year 2025-26 has been extended by the government to September 16. This decision was made due to technical issues that disrupted the process on the original last day, September 15. The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) reported over 7.3 crore ITRs were filed by September 15, surpassing the previous year's 7.28 crore.

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On Monday, the e-filing portal experienced significant traffic as it was the final day for both ITR submissions and the second quarterly advance tax payment for the current fiscal year. Late that evening, the Income Tax Department provided guidance on resolving browser issues for filers. "These steps usually resolve most local access-related difficulties," they stated.

Technical Glitches and User Complaints

Despite these efforts, users continued to face problems accessing the portal. Many chartered accountants and individuals took to social media to report glitches in making tax payments and downloading the Annual Information Statement (AIS). Some users even struggled to log in or pay advance tax for the July-September quarter.

Responding to complaints about uploading ITRs and tax payments, the department advised clearing browser cache or using a different browser. They also requested users share details, including PAN and mobile numbers, via email at [e-mail].

Extension and System Maintenance

The deadline extension follows a previous announcement in May, which moved the due date from July 31 to September 15 due to changes in ITR forms. These updates required modifications in filing utilities and backend systems. The CBDT announced that on September 16, maintenance would occur from midnight until 2:30 am to facilitate these changes.

The department also addressed issues with downloading AIS/TIS on September 14, assuring users that these facilities were operational. They encouraged users facing difficulties to provide details along with their mobile number and public IP address at [e-mail].

Growth in ITR Filings

ITR filings have consistently increased over recent years, indicating improved compliance and a broader tax base. For AY 2024-25, a record of 7.28 crore ITRs was filed by July 31, 2024, compared to 6.77 crore for AY 2023-24, marking a 7.5% growth year-on-year.

The last date for filing ITRs without penalty is now set for September 16 for income earned during the fiscal year 2024-25. This extension aims to accommodate those affected by technical issues on the e-filing portal.

With inputs from PTI