Govt extends ITR deadline to Sept 16 after portal meltdown frustrates last-minute filers

The government has extended the Income Tax Return (ITR) filing deadline for the second time, now setting September 16, as the final date for AY 2025–26 filings, citing ongoing technical glitches.

The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) announced late Monday night that the deadline, previously extended to September 15, has now been pushed by another day. The extension comes amid widespread complaints of server timeouts and slowdowns on the ITR e-filing portal.

The Income Tax Department acknowledged the disruption, stating on X: “To enable changes in the utilities, the e-filing portal will remain in maintenance mode from 12:00 AM to 02:30 AM on 16th September 2025.” The original deadline for filing returns was July 31, 2025.

According to the ministry, the first extension had been necessitated by a delay in the release of income tax forms. Chartered accountants and taxpayers have since continued to flag recurring access issues, particularly during peak filing hours.

Chartered accountant Chirag Chauhan expressed frustration over the latest extension, calling it inadequate and performative. "A one-day extension is self-mockery by @IncomeTaxIndia," he said, adding that a meaningful extension of at least five days was both expected and necessary to address the widespread portal issues.

The ITR-2 form for FY 2024–25 (AY 2025–26) includes new reporting mandates, including asset and liability thresholds raised to ₹1 crore, bifurcated capital gain schedules post-Finance Act 2024 changes, and updated TDS reporting codes.

With just hours to go before the revised deadline, the extension offers temporary relief but underscores broader concerns about infrastructure readiness. The tax department has not indicated any further deadline relaxations.

Taxpayers are advised to avoid last-minute filing and prepare all necessary documentation—including Form 16, Form 26AS, rent receipts, capital gains statements, and deduction proofs—in advance.