Over 7.3 crore ITRs filed for AY26 so far as govt pushes simpler, tech-driven tax regime
New Delhi, July 24
More than 7.3 crore income tax returns were filed for Assessment Year 2026, surpassing the number filed in the previous year, Revenue Secretary Arvind Shrivastava said on Friday.
Speaking about the ongoing reforms in the direct tax system, Shrivastava said the Income Tax Department should increasingly be viewed as a facilitator for honest taxpayers rather than merely an enforcement agency.
He stressed that the use of technology must make tax administration smarter, more efficient and less intrusive.
He said the government remains committed to greater automation, reducing human interface and ensuring faster and more seamless services for taxpayers.
Deepening and widening the faceless tax ecosystem, while providing greater tax certainty, consistency and ease of compliance, will continue to be among the department's key priorities.
Highlighting the department's performance during FY26, the Revenue Secretary said around 2.24 lakh tax appeals were disposed of during the year, registering a nearly 30 per cent increase over the previous year.
He added that the department also resolved nearly four lakh taxpayer grievances, achieving a disposal rate of about 95 per cent.
On revenue mobilisation, Shrivastava said both gross and net direct tax collections recorded growth of around 4-5 per cent in FY26 despite a challenging economic environment.
He also described the new Income-tax Act as a significant step towards simplifying India's tax framework.
As part of the legislative overhaul, the number of sections has been reduced to 536 from 819, making the law easier to understand and comply with for both individual taxpayers and businesses.
According to Shrivastava, the reforms are aimed at creating a transparent, technology-driven and taxpayer-centric direct tax administration that promotes voluntary compliance while reducing the compliance burden.
— IANS
Reader Comments
As someone who's worked in finance here, I'm impressed with the 95% grievance disposal rate. That's world-class efficiency. The faceless assessment has reduced corruption significantly. However, the new tax regime needs better awareness - many small business owners I know are still confused about which regime to choose. More outreach needed!
I just filed my return yesterday - was done in 20 mins! Earlier it used to take hours with Chartered Accountant visits. The auto-populated Form 26AS and pre-filled ITR are genuinely helpful. But why can't they extend the deadline beyond July 31? Many people face technical glitches at the last moment. Common sense hai yaar! 🤷♂️
Reducing sections from 819 to 536 sounds good on paper, but the real test is how the new Act handles complex business transactions. My company's tax team is still analysing the changes. The faceless assessment is a welcome move though - no more 'taxpayer' harassment by local officers. But will the government also simplify GST? That's the bigger headache for us! 😅
I appreciate the 4-5% growth in tax collections despite the pandemic and recession. Shows Indians are becoming more compliant. But the real issue is that people with black money still get away! The government needs to strengthen the Benami Act and track high-value cash transactions better. Also, please increase the standard deduction for salaried employees - we are the backbone of direct tax revenue! 🙏
I migrated here from the US and the tax system here is actually more streamlined now!
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