100 Days Into ITR Filing Season: Missing Utilities Put Taxpayers in a Tight Spot—Will the September 15 Deadline Be Extended Again?
ITR Filing Season 2025-26: The Wait for Utilities Continues
It’s been over 100 days since the ITR filing season for Assessment Year (AY) 2025-26 began, but crucial utilities for several key forms are still unavailable. While the September 15, 2025 deadline looms, only ITR-1 and ITR-4 have their utilities released so far, forcing taxpayers and chartered accountants (CAs) to demand yet another extension from the government.
Delays in Utility Releases Spark Frustration
This year’s ITR filing season kicked off on April 1, 2025, but progress has been slow. The Income Tax Department has unusually delayed the release of several important ITR forms and their online utilities. As of July 9, only around 1.09 crore ITRs have been filed, representing just those eligible for ITR-1 and ITR-4.
- ITR-1 and ITR-4 are suited for salaried employees, small traders, and freelancers.
- The majority of taxpayers—including professionals, businesses, LLPs, companies, and trusts—are still waiting for the release of ITR-2, ITR-3, ITR-5, ITR-6, and ITR-7 utilities.
- As a result, many taxpayers are unable to begin or complete their filing process.
Who Needs Which ITR Form?
To understand the scale of the issue, here’s a quick reference on ITR forms and their eligible filers:
- ITR-1 (Sahaj): Salaried individuals (income up to Rs 50 lakh), one house property, and other regular income sources.
- ITR-2: Individuals with income from multiple house properties, capital gains, or foreign assets.
- ITR-3: Professionals and business owners with income from business or partnership firms.
- ITR-4 (Sugam): Small traders, freelancers, and those under the presumptive taxation scheme.
- ITR-5: LLPs, firms, Association of Persons (AOPs), and Body of Individuals (BOIs).
- ITR-6: Companies not claiming exemption under section 11.
- ITR-7: Trusts, political parties, colleges, and institutions filing under sections 139(4A) to 139(4D).
Growing Pressure on Social Media
As days pass, taxpayers and CAs have taken to social media to voice their frustrations and appeal to the government for the immediate release of the pending ITR utilities. There is a strong push not only for the utilities but also for a further extension of the deadline if the delays continue.
Deadline Already Extended Once—Will It Happen Again?
Originally, the ITR filing deadline is July 31. This year, the government had already extended it to September 15, following an announcement at the end of May. However, despite this extension, most utilities are still unavailable even after 100 days into the season.
- Taxpayers typically get about 120 days to file ITRs, but delayed notification of forms and missing utilities have compressed the available window.
- Many users feel that with these persistent delays, a further deadline extension appears likely.
What Are Tax Experts Saying?
Tax experts and professional bodies have clearly called on the government to extend the deadline once more. The main argument is that without timely release of all necessary forms and utilities, millions of taxpayers, professionals, and businesses are left without adequate time or resources to fulfill their tax obligations.
What This Means for the Tax System
The ongoing delays not only inconvenience taxpayers but also impact the credibility and efficiency of India’s tax administration. If the utilities are not released soon, another deadline extension seems almost inevitable, with the risk of creating more confusion and last-minute rushes for filers.
The Bottom Line
The Income Tax Department’s delay in releasing ITR utilities is causing widespread anxiety among filers. Unless urgent action is taken, including a possible extension of the September 15 deadline, both individual taxpayers and the broader tax system may continue to face challenges. For now, all eyes are on the government for the next move.
