Income Tax Return Deadline Extended Again: CBDT Pushes AY 2025–26 Filing To September 16

The government has extended the Income Tax Return (ITR) filing deadline for the second time, now setting September 16, 2025, as the final date for Assessment Year 2025-26. The move comes after widespread complaints of technical glitches on the ITR e-filing portal, which left many last-minute filers frustrated.

The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) made the announcement late Monday night, pushing the deadline by a day from the previously extended date of September 15. The Income Tax Department also acknowledged disruptions, confirming on X that the portal would remain in maintenance mode between 12:00 AM and 2:30 AM on September 16 to implement changes in utilities. The original deadline for filing returns had been July 31, 2025.

The first extension was prompted by delays in the release of certain income tax forms. However, despite the extension, chartered accountants and taxpayers have continued to face recurring issues, particularly during peak filing hours, with server slowdowns and timeouts reported widely.

Chartered accountant Chirag Chauhan criticized the latest move, calling it inadequate. "A one-day extension is self-mockery by @IncomeTaxIndia," he said, arguing that a more realistic extension of at least five days was both expected and necessary to address the ongoing challenges.

The ITR-2 form for FY 2024-25 (AY 2025-26) has introduced new reporting requirements, including an asset and liability disclosure threshold raised to ₹1 crore, updated bifurcated capital gain schedules reflecting the Finance Act 2024 changes, and revised TDS reporting codes. These updates have added to the compliance burden, heightening pressure on filers already grappling with the portal's performance issues.

While the additional day provides temporary relief, the extension underscores concerns over the readiness of the income tax infrastructure to handle high-volume filing. The tax department has so far not signaled any further relaxations.

Officials have advised taxpayers to avoid last-minute submissions and prepare documentation-such as Form 16, Form 26AS, rent receipts, capital gains statements, and deduction proofs-well in advance to prevent last-hour bottlenecks.