ITR filing due date: More than 5.9 crore income-tax returns filed by 31 July, says tax department — All we know

The income-tax department today said that more than 5.9 crore I-T returns were filed for AY 2026–27 (FY 2025-26) by 31 July 2026. 

In a post on social media platform X (formerly known as Twitter), the official Income-Tax India account said, “Thank you, taxpayers! Over 5.9 crore ITRs filed for AY 2026–27 by July 31st! Your trust and timely compliance provide the energy that fuels India’s growth.” 

Is deadline extension likely?

No extension has been announced so far. Last year a set of circumstances led to extension of deadline for filing ITR. This year, however, the government has highlighted improvements in the portal's infrastructure ahead of the filing deadline, including its ability to process up to 1 crore returns a day.

Experts thus believe the current filing trend does not support a case for extending the July 31 deadline. File your returns as soon as possible to avoid higher penalties and delayed filing charges.

Who had to file ITR by 31 July 2026?

Due date for filing income-tax returns (ITR) without delayed charges and penalties for taxpayers using the ITR-1 (Sahaj) and ITR-2 forms passed at midnight on 31 July (Friday). If you haven't done so already, now is the best time to take prompt steps to file your ITR.

Notably, the deadline was only applicable for resident individuals who do not need to undergo an audit. Such taxpayers include most salaried employees, pensioners and students, with income from multiple house properties, interest, dividends, capital gains, or other sources.

According to official data, more than 5.9 crore returns were filed till the end of due date, indicating that taxpayers rushed to complete their filings to avoid penalties, interest, and compliance notices.

Who has more time to file ITR?

Not every taxpayer was required to file their ITR by today, 31 July. Taxpayers with business or professional income filing ITR-3 form, as well as those opting for the presumptive taxation scheme under ITR-4 (Sugam) form, have later due dates, as follows:

• ITR-3 due date is 31 August 2026: Salary from freelance or business income that does not require a tax audit.
• ITR-4 due date is 31 October 2026: Business or professional income requiring a tax audit.

Do you still need to file ITR even if your income does not attract tax?

Yes, one of the most important reasons for mandatory ITR filing is that your total income exceeds the basic exemption limit; any income below this threshold can skip filing ITR if they meet the other prescribed conditions.

Under the old tax regime, the exemption limit is ₹2.5 lakh for individuals below 60 years, ₹3 lakh for senior citizens (60 years but less than 80 years of age) and ₹5 lakh for super senior citizens (80 years or more). Meanwhile, as per the new tax regime, the basic exemption limit is ₹4 lakh for taxpayers of all age groups.

Here are some reasons that make ITR filing mandatory:

• Savings bank deposits exceed ₹50 lakh
• Current account deposits cross ₹1 crore
• Foreign travel expenses exceed ₹2 lakh
• Electricity bill exceeds ₹1 lakh
• You own foreign assets or have signing authority abroad

How to file ITR using I-T dept's portal?

The tax department's dedicated e-filing portal remains the official platform for all sorts of taxpayers to file their returns online. It also allows you to pay taxes online and submit statutory forms. There is one and a half hour left for the ITR filing deadline to end.

Taxpayers can log in using their PAN details, select the applicable ITR form, verify their income and deduction details (if filing under old tax regime), pay tax due (when necessary) and complete e-verification after submission of the return.

The e-filing portal also provides access to pre-filled information based on available records, including details from Form 16, Annual Information Statement (AIS) and Taxpayer Information Summary (TIS).