The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) announced on Monday that the deadline for filing Income Tax Returns (ITR) for Assessment Year (AY) 2025-26 has been extended by one more day, making 16th September 2025 the final date for ITR filing.
This extension comes in response to widespread difficulties reported by taxpayers and chartered accountants in accessing the Income Tax Department’s e-filing portal and making advance tax payments in the final stretch of the deadline.
Why the Extension?
Originally, the last date to file ITRs for AY 2025-26 was 31st July 2025. However, this was first extended to 15th September 2025 due to technical challenges and high traffic on the e-filing platform. Following persistent complaints about continued accessibility issues, the CBDT made the decision to further extend the deadline by an additional day.
An official CBDT statement clarified:
“The due date for filing of Income Tax Returns (ITRs) for AY 2025-26, which was earlier extended to 15th September 2025, has now been further extended to 16th September 2025.”
Scheduled Portal Maintenance
To implement critical system changes aimed at improving portal functionality, the Income Tax Department has announced a maintenance window for the e-filing portal today from 12:00 AM to 2:30 AM. During this period, the portal will remain inaccessible, and taxpayers are advised to plan their filings accordingly.
Record Number of Returns Filed
As of 15th September, over 7.3 crore ITRs have already been filed, surpassing last year’s record of 7.28 crore. The Income Tax Department expressed gratitude to taxpayers and professionals for their prompt compliance, calling it a “record achievement.”
Support Available for Taxpayers
To assist taxpayers facing challenges during ITR filing and tax payment, the department has ensured a 24×7 helplineremains operational. Additionally, the department proactively shared a set of troubleshooting steps to help taxpayers overcome common browser-related issues:
- Clear Temporary Files
- Press Win + R → Type temp and %temp% → Delete all files.
- Clear Browser Cache and Cookies
- Navigate to browser settings and clear browsing data (cache + cookies).
- Use a Supported Browser
- Recommended browsers: Latest versions of Google Chrome or Microsoft Edge.
- Access in Incognito/Private Mode
- Shortcut: Ctrl + Shift + N (Chrome) or Ctrl + Shift + P (Firefox).
- Disable Browser Extensions
- Particularly ad-blockers or privacy-related add-ons that may interfere.
- Update Browser to Latest Version
- Try an Alternate Network
- Use a different Wi-Fi connection or a mobile hotspot.
Taxpayers still encountering technical difficulties were advised to report their problems directly by sending their details — including PAN and mobile number — to the dedicated email address: orm@cpc.incometax.gov.in.
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