Income Tax Return Filing Deadline Extended to September 15, 2025

Income Tax Return (ITR) filers in India have been given more time to submit their ITRs for the assessment year 2025–26. The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) has issued an extension, shifting the filing date from the earlier due date of July 31, 2025, to September 15, 2025.

The move, announced through a press note and a social media update on May 27, 2025, comes following major modifications added to the notified ITR forms for this year.

Reasons for Extension

The CBDT revealed that the extension has become imperative due to major "structural and content revisions" in the ITR forms. The modifications aim at making compliance easier, more transparent, and result in more accurate reporting.

The accommodation of these revised forms, as per the tax agency, necessitates extra time for system development, integration, and thorough testing of the related e-filing utilities. Without this additional timeframe, taxpayers and stakeholders would have encountered difficulties in meeting the new requirements.

Additionally, the CBDT also pointed out that Tax Deducted at Source (TDS) statement credits payable by May 31 would only start appearing in taxpayers' accounts from early June. This lag would have considerably "constricted the return filing window of opportunity considerably" had the July 31 deadline remained.

The board clearly stated that the extension is "To allow for a smooth and easy filing experience for taxpayers," to provide ample time to all concerned in adhering to the new forms and utilities. The extended deadline is expected to be notified separately in a formal communication.

Tax Experts Back the Action

Tax experts have broadly welcomed the extension of the ITR filing deadline, noting that enhanced disclosure requirements under the new forms warrant additional time.

Among the key changes is the mandatory bifurcation of capital gains based on whether they accrued before or after July 23, 2024, a requirement stemming from amendments introduced in the Finance Act 2024.

Analysts pointed out that the e-filing utility will need significant upgrades to handle such complexities, making the extended deadline necessary for smoother compliance. They also highlighted that the usual July 31 deadline often creates avoidable hardship due to persistent issues like delayed reflection of TDS/TCS credits and late implementation of digital filing tools. The extension has revived calls from within the industry to permanently move the due date to August 31.

This extension provides taxpayers with an additional 46 days beyond the original deadline to prepare and submit their income tax returns for the assessment year 2025–26.

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