Will the government extend the last date to file the income tax return (ITR) for AY 2025-26 again? This question weighs heavily on the minds of crores of taxpayers in the country. As the last date for filing ITR is approaching, the concern of taxpayers and tax professionals is also increasing. The Gujarat Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) and many tax experts across the country have once again demanded the ITR filing deadline be extended beyond September 15, 2025. They say that under the current circumstances, taxpayers and chartered accountants will not be able to file returns on time.
Letter from Gujarat Chamber of Commerce
The GCCI has written a letter to the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) recommending extension of the deadline. The organization said that taxpayers and professionals are facing many practical difficulties this time.
Their main arguments are as follows:
ITR utilities and forms released late: Utilities that are usually available in April were released in July 2025 this time and many forms remained pending even till the first week of August. The ITR-5 utility was released only on August 8, leaving very little time for preparation and filing for non-audit cases.
Technical problems: Problems like system errors, log-in failures, and timeouts are constantly being faced while uploading ITR and tax audit reports on the portal. Also, discrepancies in Form 26AS, AIS and TIS and delay in updates are making proper preparation of returns difficult.
Pressure of new financial statement format: The new standardized format implemented by ICAI for non-corporate entities has further lengthened the process of compliance.
Effect of festivals: The festivals falling between August and November have also affected the pace of work of tax professionals.
GCCI says that in the current situation, the deadline for non-audit cases should be extended from September 15 to October 30, 2025.
Tax professionals’ problems
Many chartered accountants and tax practitioners say that the glitches in the portal have worsened the situation.
They claim that many times an error occurs after uploading the return, or the data does not appear updated. In such a situation, it becomes difficult to file ITR within the deadline set by the clients, they said.
Why was the deadline extended in May
It is worth noting that in May this year itself, the government had extended the deadline for ITR filing from July 31 to September 15, 2025. At that time, the CBDT had admitted that major changes have been made in the ITR forms and other regulations. This meant that taxpayers had limited time to file returns if the original deadline of July 31 remained. Under these circumstances, the government had decided to give additional time.
Will the government give relief again?
Now that the GCCI and tax professionals have again demanded an extension of the deadline, all eyes are on the government. Relief was given last year and in May this year, so it is expected that the CBDT can take further decision after assessing the circumstances.
At present, the last date for ITR filing is fixed as 15 September 2025. But in view of the increasing difficulties of taxpayers and tax professionals, it is possible that the government may once again consider extending the deadline.