Over 5 crore ITRs filed for AY 2026-27; I-T Dept cautions taxpayers against last-minute rush
New Delhi, July 30
More than 5 crore income tax returns have already been filed for Assessment Year 2026-27 so far, the Income Tax Department has said while urging taxpayers to complete their filings without waiting until the last minute.
In a post on social media platform X, the department advised taxpayers to reconcile their documents and file ITR-1 and ITR-2 at the earliest to avoid possible technical issues and heavy traffic on the e-filing portal closer to the deadline.
"Over 5 crore ITRs have already been filed for A.Y. 2026-27. Don't wait for the last-minute rush. Reconcile and file your ITR-1 or ITR-2 for AY 2026-27 today!" the department said.
The reminder comes ahead of the July 31 deadline for taxpayers who are not required to get their accounts audited to file returns for AY 2026-27 (FY 2025-26).
The tax authority has repeatedly advised taxpayers to verify information before submitting their returns, including details available in Form 16, Annual Information Statement (AIS), Form 26AS, bank statements and other income records.
Earlier, the department had urged taxpayers not to postpone filing, warning that delays could lead to last-minute complications due to increased portal traffic and technical difficulties.
The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) had earlier notified revised ITR forms for AY 2026-27, incorporating updated disclosure requirements related to areas such as long-term capital gains, losses from share buybacks and certain trading transactions.
As of July 27, more than 4 crore income tax returns (ITRs) have been filed for the assessment year.
Earlier, the department had said over 1.7 crore taxpayers had filed their returns, reflecting a steady acceleration in the pace of filings as the due date approaches.
Moreover, during FY 2024-25, more than 9 crore taxpayers filed income tax returns as of March 31, 2025. Of these, 8.64 crore returns were e-verified, while refunds amounting to Rs 4,35,008 crore were issued during the period.
— IANS
Reader Comments
I filed mine last week and it was smooth. The new AIS is really helpful for cross-checking. No need to panic if you are prepared. 👍
While I appreciate the reminder, the government should fix the portal glitches first. Many of us faced OTP issues and form mismatches last year. Filing early helps but the system needs to be robust too.
Filed on July 15 itself. Always beat the rush. The AIS showed some extra TDS entries but I fixed them quickly. Better to check everything now.
Nice to see awareness growing. But why can't they extend the deadline by 2 weeks? Many salaried people get Form 16 late. 😒
Already done! The new ITR forms are slightly tricky for capital gains reporting. I suggest everyone use the offline utility if the online portal slows down. Saved me last year.
The AIS is a game changer. I spotted an error in my TDS that my employer had filed incorrectly. Got it corrected before filing. Please check your AIS thoroughly before ITR submission.
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