More than 5.5 crore income tax returns (ITRs) had been filed for Assessment Year (AY) 2026-27 by Friday, the last date for filing returns for individual taxpayers and non-audit cases, according to the Income Tax Department.
In a post on X, the department said over 42 lakh ITRs were filed on July 30 alone, indicating a sharp rise in filings ahead of the deadline.
“Less than 24 hours to go! Over 5.5 crore ITRs have already been filed for AY 2026-27 (with over 42 lakh filed on July 30 alone!). File now, File calmly!” the department said in its post.
The July 31 deadline applies to individual taxpayers and entities that are not required to have their accounts audited.
The pace of return filing accelerated significantly during the final weeks of the filing season. According to the department, more than 1.7 crore ITRs had been filed by July 11, crossing 3 crore by July 22, 4 crore by July 27 and 5 crore on July 30 before surpassing 5.5 crore on the final day.
The Income Tax Department had repeatedly urged taxpayers not to wait until the last minute, advising them to file returns early to avoid heavy traffic and possible technical issues on the e-filing portal.
Taxpayers were also advised to reconcile information available in Form 16, the Annual Information Statement (AIS), Form 26AS, bank statements and other income records before submitting their returns to ensure accuracy.
The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) has notified revised Income Tax Return forms for AY 2026-27, incorporating updated disclosure requirements related to long-term capital gains, losses arising from share buybacks and certain trading transactions.
According to official data, more than 9 crore taxpayers filed income tax returns during FY 2024-25, while the Income Tax Department issued refunds exceeding Rs 4.35 lakh crore during the period.
(With inputs from IANS)
