Tax experts are facing issues due to the delay in the release of income tax utilities this year. Pressure is rising from the persistent portal issues, in which from frequent session timeouts to mismatches between the Annual Information Statement (AIS) and Form 26AS.
Compliance will be streamlined if, in every tax season, there is a timely availability of return forms and utilities. Both taxpayers and professionals have been permitted via a fair window to release obligations without any pressure.
A perfect example is of last year, as ITR-1 to ITR-4 and ITR-6 were released dated April 1, 2024, followed by ITR-5 on May 31 and ITR-7 on June 21. Taxpayers through this have almost three months to prepare returns before the July 31 deadline.
But the situation is not the same this year. From July 31, 2025, to September 15, 2025, the CBDT has extended the deadline for the non-audit cases. The utilities for ITR-5, ITR-6, and ITR-7 were released only in August. ITR 2 and 3 were released later than usual on July 11, 2025, leaving taxpayers and professionals with a limited time frame to complete their filings.
To eliminate the last-minute problems, the deadline to file the ITR must be extended. The delay in the release of ITR utilities has raised issues.
The overlap of the due dates has added pressure. The tax audit reports are due on September 30, which leaves less time for transition from the non-audit return filing to audit reporting. The due dates of ROC under the Companies Act, at the same time, have arrived in September, which has laid a heavy compliance load on the laws.
Earlier, the relief was granted. CBDT in May 2025 considered the issues and extended the non-audit ITR due date to September 15. However, as the utilities were released in August, the experts claim that the taxpayers are unable to get the advantage of the same extension. A further extension beyond September 15 is necessary for fairness and practicality.
Is there a need to wait for an extension? Tax experts advise against it. There is a risk in filing arrival of the due date. Under high traffic, the income-tax portal slows down or freezes. Technical glitches like failed verifications, Aadhaar OTP delays, or portal maintenance disruptions can occur.
Also Read: Tax Audit Form Schema: How Balance Sheet Software Works It
The stress of collating income details and deduction proofs at the last moment is a caution. Taxpayers might encounter the lapse of benefits if they work under pressure that causes errors. Stress shall be lessened from early filing, and it ensures precision.
