Only 3 days are left to file Income Tax Returns (ITR). Taxpayers are already facing technical problems while filing. Many have shared their issues on social media. There are also problems in downloading Annual Information Statement (AIS), Form 26AS, and Taxpayer Information Summary (TIS). The e-filing website is not working properly because of high traffic. Taxpayers are worried that if they do not file by September 15, they will have to file a belated return.

Last year, 7.28 crore ITRs were filed till July 31. This year, the filing is slower. Only 5.47 crore returns were filed till September 11. The TRACES portal has been down since September 11, so taxpayers and professionals cannot access Form 26AS, download TDS certificates, or verify tax credits. The load on the e-filing website and its portals is expected to increase further.

Penalty for Filing Returns After the Deadline

TaxManager founder and CEO Deepak Jain said, “Since morning, there is a problem in importing Annual Information Statement and Tax Information Statement. Our call centers and tax advisors are getting calls from clients. They are worried about what will happen if the return is not filed by September 15.”

Belated returns can be filed after September 15, but a penalty will have to be paid.

Associations Demand Extension of Deadline

Associations of tax experts and Chartered Accountants have asked the Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman to extend the last date for filing returns. The Jodhpur Bar Association said the deadline for ITR filing and tax audit reports should be extended. They said the ITR forms were released late this year and there have been continuous problems with the portal.

Associations Asking for Extension

Karnataka State Chartered Accountants Association (KSCAA), Advocates Bar Association (ATBA), and ICAI’s Central India Regional Council (CIRC) have also expressed concern and demanded an extension. ATBA has asked to extend the last date for non-audit ITRs to 15 October. Tax professionals said the earlier relief given by the government is not enough.

Less Time Given to File Returns This Year

They said that although the CBDT extended the deadline for non-audit returns from 31 July to 15 September, most utilities were released quite late. ITR-2 and ITR-3 were released on 11 July, and ITR-5 was made available in August. The same was true for ITR-6 and ITR-7. Last year, taxpayers got about 3 months to file returns, and most forms were released in April.