After hours of anticipation and frustration, the Centre on Monday night extended the deadline for filing Income Tax Returns for AY 2025-26. While many heaved a sigh of relief, others questioned the timing of the circular, which was posted by the Income Tax Department on X at 11:48 pm on Monday-just 10 minutes before the September 15 deadline.
In a statement issued late Monday night, the CBDT said it was extending the income tax ITR filing due date from September 15 to September 16.
"The due date for filing of Income Tax Returns (ITRs) for AY 2025-26, originally due on 31st July 2025, was extended to 15th September 2025. The Central Board of Direct Taxes has decided to further extend the due date for filing these ITRs for AY 2025-26 from 15th September, 2025 to 16th September, 2025," the CBDT said in the press release.
"Kya mazak laga rakha hai! Democracy hai ya autocracy? Even after so many representations, extending the due date by one day, that too just minutes before the original deadline, is the biggest insult to taxpayers!" said Rajat Agarwala.
Another user, a CA, slammed the timing of the notification. "Why wait until 11:48 pm on the due date when your portal was in coma? To extend? What kind of pleasure are you getting out of it? Pathetic!" said CA Roshan Agarwal.
Yet another user raised concerns about portal maintenance: "When you issue a notification, clearly specify. @Infosys was given 2.5 hours just to update one date in utilities, and taxpayers were given 21.5 hours to file millions of pending returns, and shamelessly write 21.5 hours as if we are laborers who do not have the right to sleep," said a user who goes by the username 'Indian'.
Another X user criticised the post-midnight maintenance: "This is our Indian Income Tax system by which we aim to become the 3rd largest economy. The compliance portal and senior authorities, along with the Finance Ministry, are making a self-inflicted insult. A 24-hour extension, announced just 12 minutes before the deadline, along with 2.5 hours of maintenance from 12:00 to 2:30 am," said Ravi_Riskmgmt.
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