ITR filing deadline extension: Will Income Tax Department extend July 31 ITR filing due date? Here’s what chartered accountants believe

Nearly 5.44 crore taxpayers have filed income tax return for the financial year 2025-26 (AY 26-27) as per a July 30, 2026, update on the income tax portal. Though a large number of filers may have filed their ITR Forms 1 and 2, there might be still be some taxpayers among 14.16 crore registered total users on the e-filing ITR portal who are yet to file their income tax return and their due date to file is July 31, 2026. The due date to file ITR for those with a business income and not requiring tax audit is August 31, 2026.

There is a possibility that some individuals might not have filed their ITR yet, so for these individuals can the Income Tax Department extend the July 31, 2026 deadline? Here’s is what experts say-

Can government extend ITR filing deadline of July 31, 2026?


Chartered accountant Sandeep Bhalla, partner, Dhruva Advisors, told ET Wealth Online that a lot of taxpayers have filed their ITR but he didn’t rule out an ITR deadline extension.

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Bhalla says while the Income-tax Department has significantly strengthened its e-filing infrastructure and many taxpayers have already filed their returns, taxpayers and tax professionals have continued to report intermittent technical issues, particularly during peak filing periods.

“Professional bodies have also represented to the CBDT seeking an extension, citing the delayed release of certain ITR utilities and the compressed compliance window. Whether the government grants an extension will likely depend on the persistence of these issues, the overall filing trend, and whether taxpayers have had a reasonable opportunity to comply accurately," says Bhalla.

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CA Abhishek Soni, CEO & co-founder, Tax2win, however, says that the chances of the July 31 ITR deadline extension appear quite low.

“The chances of the deadline extension are low because the Income Tax e-filing portal has been working smoothly, and a large number of taxpayers have already filed their returns. In the past, the government extended the deadline only when there were major issues like portal glitches, delayed ITR forms, or exceptional situations such as COVID-19,” says Soni.



For the Financial Year 2024-25, the government extended the deadline from July 31 to September 15 and then to September 16 after a lot of taxpayers and CA professionals complained about technical glitches and delayed release of ITR forms. Many state CA bodies also moved court to extend the deadline.

Soni further says unless the CBDT announces an extension, taxpayers should assume that July 31 is the final deadline and they should file their ITR on time to avoid late filing fees.

Also Read: July 31 isn't the ITR deadline for everyone: Who can file income tax returns by August 31, 2026?

CA Sanjoli Maheshwarri, executive director, Nangia & Co LLP, says the government extends the deadline in exceptional circumstances, and taxpayers should not wait for a deadline extension.

“The income-tax e-filing portal has been functioning smoothly and there have been no widespread technical issues affecting taxpayers. Further, a significant number of taxpayers have already successfully filed their returns. In these circumstances, the possibility of an extension appears limited,” says Maheshwarri.

Maheshwarri added, “Taxpayers should therefore not wait for a possible extension and should ensure that their ITR is filed within the prescribed due date."

CA Chandni Anandan, tax expert, ClearTax, said that the ITR deadline extension is unlikely since ITR forms for AY 2026-27 were released earlier than expected, and online and offline utilities were enabled even before employees received their Form 16s.

"The income tax portal has not faced any major technical glitches so far. Given this, the government seems unlikely to extend the ITR filing due date for AY 2026-27," says Anandan.