The Income Tax department has announced that more than six crore income tax returns (ITRs) for Assessment Year (AY) 2025-26 have been filed so far. The deadline for filing returns without penalty is September 15.
In a post on X, the department thanked taxpayers and tax professionals for helping cross the milestone, adding that the numbers are still climbing. It also reminded those who have not yet filed their returns to do so quickly to avoid the last-minute rush.
Normally, the last date for individuals, HUFs and entities not required to audit their accounts is July 31. However, this year the deadline was extended to September 15. The extension was granted after the income tax return forms for AY 2025-26 were revised in late April and early May, requiring updates in the filing utilities and back-end systems.
The department said it has put in place a 24x7 helpdesk to assist taxpayers with return filing, tax payments and related services. Support is being provided through phone calls, live chats, WebEx sessions and social media channels.
ITR filings have been showing steady growth over the years, reflecting rising compliance and the broadening of the tax base. For AY 2024-25, a record 7.28 crore ITRs were filed by July 31, 2024, compared with 6.77 crore in AY 2023-24, marking a year-on-year growth of 7.5%.
With six crore returns already filed for AY 2025-26 and a few days left before the deadline, the department expects the final figure to be closer to last year’s record numbers.
