As the Income Tax Return (ITR) filing deadline ends today, a rising number of taxpayers, chartered accountants and business associations across India are urging the Union Finance Ministry to extend the due date. This demand has been building over the past few weeks, fuelled by operational hurdles, technology issues and regional disruptions caused by heavy monsoon rains and floods. The call for an extension has become one of the most discussed issues on financial and professional forums, as millions of individual and corporate taxpayers prepare to file their returns.
Tax professionals point out that several changes were introduced in the ITR forms this year, requiring additional disclosures and reconciliation of data. Many small business owners, freelancers and salaried employees are still adapting to these changes. They say reconciling the details from Form 26AS, the Annual Information Statement (AIS) and Tax Deducted at Source (TDS) certificates has become a time-consuming task. Even minor discrepancies between these records now trigger system alerts, which taxpayers must resolve before submission, further slowing the filing process.
Another major complaint has been intermittent glitches on the income-tax e-filing portal. Users report facing log-in problems, server timeouts, or errors in uploading attachments. Professional bodies argue that these technical snags eat into valuable time, especially during peak filing periods. Although the Income Tax Department has issued advisories and performed maintenance upgrades, taxpayers say the system continues to lag when traffic spikes.
Outside the technological challenges, natural factors have also played a role. Several states have faced heavy rains and flooding this monsoon, which has disrupted normal business operations and access to accountants. Many small towns and semi-urban areas have reported prolonged power cuts and limited internet connectivity, making it harder for individuals and professionals to upload returns on time. “In such circumstances, an extension is not a luxury but a necessity,” said a Patna-based chartered accountant, echoing the sentiment of many professionals.
Business and trade associations have also highlighted the overlapping compliance deadlines. In addition to income tax returns, many firms are simultaneously working on statutory audits, Goods and Services Tax (GST) filings and other regulatory submissions. This overlap has created an extraordinary workload for accountants and tax preparers. Industry bodies argue that without an extension, the rush to meet multiple deadlines could result in filing errors, penalties and unnecessary litigation later.
Social media demands #ExtendITRDeadline
Social media has amplified the demand. Hashtags such as #ExtendITRDeadline and #TaxRelief have trended on X (formerly Twitter), with thousands of taxpayers tagging the Finance Ministry and the Prime Minister’s Office. Several petitions and formal representations have been submitted to North Block, seeking at least a one- or two-month extension of the deadline to ease pressure on taxpayers and professionals.
While the government has not yet indicated whether it will extend the deadline, past years have seen similar last-minute announcements. Observers say an early decision would calm taxpayer anxiety, improve compliance quality and demonstrate sensitivity to the on-ground challenges faced by mil lions of filers this year.