The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) has already extended the last date for filing Income Tax Returns (ITR) for FY 2024-25 (AY 2025-26) to September 15, 2025. This deadline applies to individual taxpayers whose accounts are not subject to audit.

Filing pace remains slow

With just a week left, the Income Tax Department’s portal data as of September 7 shows:

  • 13.35 crore individual registered users

  • 4.89 crore ITRs filed

  • 4.63 crore returns verified

  • 3.35 crore verified returns processed

Despite these numbers, tax experts say filing activity is running behind expectations, raising questions about whether the deadline will be extended again.

Growing calls for extension

Several trade bodies and professional associations have written to CBDT seeking more time. Their concerns include delayed release of ITR utilities, frequent portal glitches, and the mounting compliance burden this year.

  • The Federation of Karnataka Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FKCCI) and the Chartered Accountants Association, Surat (CAAS) cited portal inefficiencies and heavy compliance pressure.

  • The Bombay Chartered Accountants’ Society (BCAS) in a letter on September 1, requested extensions for ITR filing, tax audit, and transfer pricing cases.

  • On September 2, the Tax Bar Association, Bhilwara also raised issues of delayed AIS/TIS/26AS updates, mismatches in dividend and capital gains data, and frequent portal timeouts.

  • Other associations such as CCATAX (Chandigarh) and the Gujarat Chamber of Commerce & Industry (GCCI) flagged compressed timelines caused by staggered release of forms.

Key issues flagged

  • Delay in release of forms and utilities, reducing preparation time.

  • Mismatches in AIS, TIS, and Form 26AS complicating reconciliations.

  • Portal performance issues including timeouts and login failures.

  • Additional compliance requirements under revised formats.

No official word yet

So far, there has been no official announcement from CBDT regarding a further extension. With multiple associations pressing for relief and filing numbers still lagging, all eyes remain on whether the government grants taxpayers more time ahead of the September 15 deadline.

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