As the CBDT provides a thin extension of single-day for the ITR deadline, the glitches and troubles continue and the last minute rushers continue to face trouble. It's time the tax-payers stay punctual regarding their ITRs to avoid similar issues in the future.
The Income Tax Department has extended the deadline for the filing Income Tax Returns (ITR) for a day from yesterday to today i.e. September 16, 2025, following the last minute rush and numerous technical issues reported on its e-filing website. Although this slight relief allows taxpayers who are fighting against time, it also puts light on a common flaw, the habit of holding back until the very last moment, causing unnecessary chaos due to the last minute rush. Many would have had genuine reason but most of the people facing troubles are those who failed to be punctual enough and took time for granted.
On what was supposed to be the final day of filing returns, the online portal of the Income Tax Department was severely jammed by record traffic levels. Filing authorities complained of slow loading, regular timeouts, upload failures, and validation errors. The portal even went on maintenance to roll out technical glitches, from midnight to 2:30 a.m. ,but issues continue. In spite of the advice by the IT department to clear cache, change browsers, and verify system settings, huge number of taxpayers found it difficult to submit and validate their filings within deadlines.
These technical issues supported calls by various tax authorities, such as the Karnataka State Chartered Accountants Association and Advocates Tax Bar Association, for the government to provide further extension in the deadline. They cited release of forms at the last minute, bugs, and overlapping audits as their arguments for more time to ensure correct and hassle-free compliance. The government, faced with universal challenges, granted a one-day extension, requesting affected taxpayers to make use of this short respite.
Although the thin extension has been mildly welcomed by the thousands who are rushing to file their ITRs, it exposes a long-standing issue, the issue that taxpayers procrastinate until the last minute. Such conduct not only puts the technical system to unnecessary strain but also poses threat of penalties as a consequence of errors, delays, or glitches. The Income Tax Department confirmed that over 7.3 crore ITRs had already been filed by September 15, surpassing previous years' frequency, a sign that most taxpayers are compliant yet struggle with the deadline.
For those delaying until the last moment, the margin for error shrinks drastically. Tax payers have increased risks of errors such as selecting the wrong ITR forms, mismatches in documents like Form 16 against Form 26AS, and even lost refunds when not fully e-verified. The penalties can be severe, with ₹5,000 late charges for incomes over ₹5 lakh under Section 234F, along with interest on delayed taxes at 1% per month. In addition, late filing, while still achievable up to December 31, invites loss of some benefits like carry forward of losses or claiming certain deductions.
Since the deadline for ITR filing ends tomorrow, taxpayers are advised not to push to the last hour and file their ITRs at once to prevent penalties and inconvenience. The extension is once-only courtesy in the light of technological hitches and taxpayer pressure, and it is not a safeguard for taking time for granted. The lesson is loud and clear - plan, file early, and escape rushing into deadlines threatening compliance. The day-long extension must be a wake-up call for timely performance in the future, allowing for smooth operations of the tax system and minimising stress for all the stakeholders.
