There is confusion this year as well regarding the last date for filing Income Tax Returns (ITR). Although the last date for filing ITR in non-audit cases has been extended from July 31 to September 15, 2025, tax experts and professionals are demanding that it be further extended. This year, the journey has not been easy for ITR filers. The late release of return forms and utilities, and technical difficulties of the portal have all increased the pressure on both taxpayers and tax professionals.
Delay in forms and utilities
Last year (2024), the government released ITR forms on time. ITR-1 to ITR-4 and ITR-6 were available on April 1 itself, while ITR-5 came in May and ITR-7 in June. This gave taxpayers about three months to file returns.
But this year the situation was completely different. ITR-2 and ITR-3 forms were released on July 11, 2025, while ITR-5, 6, and 7 came in August. Due to this delay, taxpayers have very little time left for filing.
Burden of ever-increasing deadlines
The deadline for non-audit returns has been extended to September 15, but immediately after that is the last date for the tax audit report, September 30. This means that there is pressure to file non-audit returns first and then immediately work on the audit report. At the same time, the deadline of the Company Law (ROC) is also coming. The result is that professionals have been burdened with many laws, making it difficult to work.
Why the demand for extension
Tax experts believe that now it has become very important to extend the deadline. Many chartered accountants say that the delay in ITR utilities has disrupted the entire process. The last date should be extended further to avoid a last-minute rush. Himan Singla, partner, SBHS & Associates, believes that this is not just a matter of convenience, but a question of practicality.
Waiting for the last minute is risky
Some people are sitting thinking that perhaps the deadline will be extended and they will file then, but experts consider it risky. According to Sujit Bangar, founder of TaxBuddy.com, due to heavy traffic on the portal in the last days, the site slows down or shuts down. Problems like delay in Aadhaar OTP, verification failure, or portal maintenance are common. In such a situation, the loss can be more than the benefit.
It is always better to file early. This will reduce errors, and taxpayers will be able to use their benefits, such as loss set-off, properly. Therefore, if you have not filed your ITR yet, then completing it on time is the wisest step.