The Income Tax Department has received more than 1.7 crore Income Tax Returns (ITRs) for the Assessment Year (AY) 2026-27, marking a robust pace of tax filing as taxpayers continue to meet their compliance obligations ahead of the due date.
According to the department, the milestone underscores the growing adoption of the e-filing platform and increasing taxpayer participation. The department has urged eligible taxpayers who are yet to file their returns to do so well before the deadline to avoid last-minute congestion on the portal and ensure faster processing of refunds.
The e-filing portal currently supports online filing of ITR-1, ITR-2, ITR-3 and ITR-4, while the Excel utility for ITR-5 has also been made available recently. Taxpayers can file their returns using either the online or offline mode depending on the applicable form.
Also read: New deadlines in place for income tax returns
Officials have advised taxpayers to carefully verify pre-filled information, including details available in the Annual Information Statement (AIS) and Form 26AS, before submitting their returns. They also stressed the importance of e-verifying the return immediately after filing, as an ITR is treated as complete only after successful verification.
The department said it continues to enhance the taxpayer experience through improved digital services and simplified filing processes. It has also encouraged taxpayers to use official helpdesks and online resources in case of any difficulty while filing returns.
The current filing season is significant as it marks the last assessment year under the Income-tax Act, 1961, before the provisions of the Income Tax Act, 2025 become applicable for income earned from the next financial year. However, income earned during FY 2025-26 will continue to be assessed under the existing law, and taxpayers are required to file only one return for AY 2026-27.
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