ITR Filing Deadline Extended to September 16 for AY 2025-26; Over 7 Crore Returns Filed So Far

The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) has granted taxpayers a one-day breather by extending the deadline for filing Income Tax Returns (ITRs) for Assessment Year 2025-26 to September 16, 2025. The filing date, originally July 31, was earlier extended to September 15 before the latest shift.

In a late-night announcement on X (formerly Twitter), the Income Tax Department said: “KIND ATTENTION TAXPAYERS! The due date for filing ITRs for AY 2025-26, earlier extended to 15th September, is now further extended to 16th September, 2025. To enable updates, the e-filing portal will remain in maintenance mode from 12:00 AM to 02:30 AM on September 16.”

The extension comes as the department reported a record 7 crore ITRs already filed, with more expected as taxpayers rushed to meet the deadline. Officials expressed gratitude to both taxpayers and professionals, highlighting the milestone as a sign of improving compliance and a widening tax base.

“Our helpdesk is available round the clock to assist taxpayers through calls, chats, WebEx sessions, and social media support,” the Department added.

The clarification follows a spate of misinformation over the weekend. On Sunday, the Department had termed as “fake news” reports suggesting that the deadline was being pushed to September 30.

The government had already provided relief earlier this year by extending the due date for non-audit cases from July 31 to September 15. The latest extension to September 16 is expected to help lakhs of last-minute filers avoid penalties.

KIND ATTENTION TAXPAYERS!

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… pic.twitter.com/jrjgXZ5xUs

— Income Tax India (@IncomeTaxIndia) September 15, 2025