Portal Overload Leads to One-Day Extension for ITR Filing

Income Tax Filing Deadline Extended to September 16, 2025

Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!

Taxpayers have been granted a one-day extension to file their Income Tax Returns (ITR) for the Assessment Year (AY) 2025-26. The new deadline is now September 16, 2025, after the Income Tax Department announced a last-minute extension following widespread technical glitches on its e-filing portal.

The original deadline, which was September 15, caused a major traffic surge on the portal. This was due to it being not only the final day for filing ITRs but also the deadline for paying the second installment of advance tax. This double-whammy overloaded the system, leaving many users unable to log in, experiencing painfully slow response times, and facing errors while trying to complete their submissions.

While this one-day relief is a welcome break for taxpayers, many chartered accountants are still reporting persistent issues with the portal. The Income Tax Department responded to the complaints by temporarily shutting down the site for maintenance and releasing a troubleshooting guide. The department suggested that many of the problems could be resolved by users clearing their browser cache, using updated browsers, or disabling ad blockers.

Despite these suggestions, frustrated users continued to report issues, prompting the department to extend the deadline. The government has made it clear that no further extensions will be provided, so taxpayers must file their returns by the new deadline of September 16 to avoid penalties.

Penalties for Missing the Deadline

If you miss the extended deadline, you can still file a belated return until December 31, 2025, but you will be subject to a late fee:

• A penalty of ₹5,000 if your total income is more than ₹5 lakh.
• A penalty of ₹1,000 if your total income is up to ₹5 lakh.

Tax experts are urging everyone to use this extra day to complete their filings and avoid financial penalties. The reliability of the portal under continued pressure remains a concern, but for now, the race is on for millions of taxpayers to get their returns in on time.