ITR filing deadline is July 31; Will the deadline be extended?

As the income tax return filing deadline approaches, most taxpayers are asking one question: will the July 31 deadline be extended? There have been instances in the past where the deadline was extended. Last year, for example, it was extended due to technical glitches on the tax e-filing portal.

However, sources from the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) informed a famous publication that no such measure is currently being considered. The sources noted: "There is no such discussion on the table. We recommend the taxpayers to file their taxes asap and not wait for the last-minute filing."

CEO of Bankbazaar, Adhil Shetty, also noted that, in the past, the IT Department had extended deadlines only under exceptional circumstances, like widespread technical issues or other administrative reasons.

The Income Tax department advised taxpayers to avoid a last-minute rush by filing their returns early. They have asked taxpayers to file ITR-1 and ITR-2 forms before the July 31 deadline. As per reports, till date, over 40 million tax returns for the 2026-27 financial year have been filed.

In recent years, the tax return filings have also shown steady growth. The Income Tax Department's electronic filing portal shows that in the 2024-25 financial year, 91.9 million returns were filed, when compared to 85.2 million in fiscal year 2023-24 and 77.8 million in fiscal year 2022-23.

Form ITR-1, or Sahaj, is for resident individuals whose total income is up to 50 lakh rupees derived from salary, one house property, and other sources, including agricultural income of up to 5,000 rupees. The IT department noted that Sahaj is a simplified form designed to cater to a large number of small and medium-sized taxpayers. Form ITR-2 applies to individuals and Hindu Undivided Families who do not derive income from business or professional activities but earn income from sources such as capital gains.