Taxpayers Urged to File ITRs as Deadline Nears

New Delhi, September 11, 2025: A final push is being made by the Income Tax Department as the extended deadline for filing Income Tax Returns (ITR) for the financial year 2024-25 approaches. The due date, which was already extended from the usual July 31st to September 15th, 2025, is now just days away, yet a significant portion of taxpayers have still not submitted their returns.

The latest data available from the Income Tax Department’s e-filing portal indicates that approximately 5.3 crore returns have been filed so far. This figure, while substantial, is still well short of the projected total of over 8 crore returns that are expected to be filed for the current assessment year. With the deadline looming, a massive surge in filings is being anticipated in the coming days, a trend that has been observed in previous years as well.

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This year’s deadline extension was granted by the government in May, after various tax professional bodies and organizations appealed for more time due to a number of challenges faced by taxpayers and professionals. The delayed release of ITR forms and utilities was cited as a major reason, with some forms being made available as late as July and August. Furthermore, persistent technical glitches and data mismatches on the portal were also highlighted as major hurdles that have been encountered by users.

Despite these issues, the government appears to be standing firm on the September 15th deadline for non-audit cases. The Finance Ministry has recently issued a reminder to taxpayers, emphasizing the importance of timely filing to avoid penalties and interest charges. It has been cautioned that a late filing fee of up to ₹5,000 can be imposed for returns filed after the due date, with a lesser penalty for those with a total income not exceeding ₹5 lakh.

Tax experts and various professional associations have continued to appeal for a further extension, pointing to the compressed compliance window and the heavy workload on professionals. However, as of now, no additional extension has been announced, and taxpayers are being urged to complete their filings at the earliest to avoid the last-minute rush and potential technical difficulties that are often experienced on the portal during peak periods. The importance of e-verifying the returns after submission has also been stressed, as a return is not considered valid until it is verified.