ITR Filing Deadline Extended to September 16 as Taxpayers Report Portal Issues

The government has extended the Income Tax Return (ITR) filing deadline for Assessment Year 2025-26 by one day, moving it to September 16, 2025, due to reported problems accessing the e-filing portal. This comes after a record number of returns were submitted by the original deadline. 

Why the Deadline Was Extended

The original due date for ITR filing was September 15, 2025, having been earlier shifted from July 31, to allow for necessary revisions in ITR forms and backend updates. 

As the September 15 cut-off approached, many taxpayers complained of difficulties with uploading returns or making advance tax payments because of glitches with the portal. 

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In response, the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) granted an extra day for filings. The department also scheduled maintenance for the portal from midnight to 2:30 AM on September 16, to address these technical problems. 

Record Filing Numbers

• By September 15, over 7.3 crore returns had been filed — the highest ever for a fiscal year. 
• This surpasses last year’s total of about 7.28 crore ITRs filed. 

The Income Tax Department expressed gratitude to taxpayers and tax professionals for their compliance, while urging those who had not filed to complete their submissions promptly. 

What Taxpayers Must Know If They Miss the Extended Deadline

• Those who fail to file by September 16 can still file belated returns until December 31 2025. 
• However, late filing attracts penalties under Section 234F: ₹1,000 if income is up to ₹5 lakh, and ₹5,000 for higher incomes. 
• Delays can also lead to extra interest on outstanding tax dues and may limit the ability to carry forward certain losses. 

Conclusion

The Income Tax Department’s decision to extend the ITR filing deadline by one day reflects its response to widespread technical issues and citizens’ difficulties with the portal. Despite the delay, more than 7.3 crore returns were filed by the original date, underscoring strong taxpayer compliance. Those who miss the extended deadline face defined penalties and interest charges, but still have until 31 December 2025 to file belatedly.