The clock is ticking for taxpayers in India as September 15, 2025, marks the final day to file the Income Tax Return (ITR) for the financial year 2024–25 (assessment year 2025–26). If you haven’t filed your return yet, you must act before midnight today to avoid penalties and compliance issues.
According to reports, nearly 1 crore ITRs are expected to be filed on this very last day alone. Last year, the e-filing portal had set a record by processing over 70 lakh returns within 24 hours, but this time, the system is facing heavy traffic. Several taxpayers and chartered accountants (CAs) have already complained about the portal running slower than usual.
As per official data, 6.29 crore ITRs had been filed by September 13, 2025. For comparison, last year’s total filings stood at 7.28 crore. If the average growth trend of 7.5% continues, this year’s final figure could touch 7.8 crore returns.
Past data also shows a steady rise in tax compliance:
AY 2024–25: 7.28 crore returns
AY 2023–24: 6.77 crore returns
AY 2022–23: 5.82 crore returns
AY 2021–22: 5.77 crore returns
In just three years, ITR filings have increased by 25%, reflecting stronger participation from taxpayers.
Many taxpayers remain unsure about the right form. Here’s a simple breakdown:
ITR-1 (Sahaj): For individuals with income up to ₹50 lakh.
ITR-2: For those without business income, not eligible for ITR-1.
ITR-3: For professionals or individuals with business income.
ITR-4: For small businesses, HUFs, and firms (except LLPs) with income up to ₹50 lakh.
ITR-V: Only an acknowledgment form after filing ITR.
The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) allows multiple filing methods:
Offline paper filing
Online submission with a digital signature
Online submission with an e-verification code
Online filing followed by sending ITR-V acknowledgement
The official filing portal is incometax.gov.in.
While no documents need to be attached during filing, keep these details ready:
PAN and Aadhaar
Bank account details
Form 16 (for salaried individuals)
Form 26AS and AIS
Capital gains statements
Investment proofs
Rent receipts and home loan details
If you fail to file your ITR today, you still have time until December 31, 2025, to submit a belated return. However, this comes with penalties:
₹1,000 penalty if income is below ₹5 lakh.
₹5,000 penalty if income exceeds ₹5 lakh.
Additionally, late filing may cause you to lose certain tax deductions, delay refunds, and even lead to prosecution. In extreme cases of tax evasion over ₹25 lakh, imprisonment may extend up to seven years.
If you’ve paid excess tax, the refund will be directly credited to your bank account via ECS. Filing on time also ensures:
A clean financial record
Faster refunds
Eligibility for loans, visas, and other approvals
Avoidance of penalties
The deadline will not be extended further.
Early filing helps secure refunds quicker.
Compliance keeps your tax history clean and future-ready.
As the deadline approaches, taxpayers are advised to avoid last-minute delays, log in to the e-filing portal, and complete their ITR submission today.
