Summary of this article
This year’s filing season has already seen one extension, from July 31 to September 15, for individual taxpayers not subject to audit. But with audit-related deadlines of September 30 and October 31 still in place, industry bodies argue that the circumstances remain far from normal.
The tax professionals are demanding extension of ITR Filing due dates for all - non-audit as well as audit case ITRs filings.
With the September 15, 2025 deadline just two days away, the chorus for an extension of the income tax return (ITR) filing due date is getting louder. Chartered accountants, industry associations, and tax professionals across the country have been urging the Ministry of Finance to extend the due date to October 15, 2025, citing persistent glitches on the income tax e-filing portal, overlapping compliance requirements, and natural disruptions like floods in several states.
CA Himank Singla, who has been vocal on the matter both on social media and in his professional submissions, said in one of his posts, “This is not a plea for generosity. This is a demand for fair deadlines, fair compliance, and fair treatment.”
On X (formerly Twitter), he called for staggered extensions - non-audit ITRs from September 15 to September 30, tax audits till November 30, and audit case ITRs till December 31, alongside GST annual filings until January 2026.
In fact, many professional bodies have also formally represented their concerns to Union Minister of Finance Nirmala Sitharaman. These include the Karnataka State Chartered Accountants Association (KSCAA), the Advocates Tax Bar Association (ATBA), and the Central India Regional Council (CIRC) of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI).
The ATBA has specifically sought an extension of the non-audit ITR filing deadline to October 15 and the tax audit report submission deadline to November 30. It also pointed out that the Supreme Court, in earlier judgments, has held that procedural timelines should advance justice rather than penalise taxpayers in genuine hardship.
ATBA highlighted practical challenges that have impacted the ITR filing such as severe floods disrupting normal life in parts of the country; delayed release of updated ITR utilities; technical glitches on the e-filing portal; and increased compliance burden during the festive season, according to a report by the Economic Times.
In a memorandum dated September 10, KSCAA has detailed some more systemic issues like the delayed release of key ITR forms and audit utilities, some of which arrived as late as August.
“While the Income Tax Department has been highlighting the number of returns filed, the ground reality is that professionals and taxpayers are struggling with systemic challenges and compressed timelines,” KSCAA said, adding that these inefficiencies undermine both the government’s promise of ease of doing business and taxpayer trust.
Other tax professional bodies have echoed the same concerns and have urged that the tax audit due date be extended to December 31, 2025 to ensure accurate reporting.
“Professionals are operating under significant workflow pressures, with timelines that do not realistically align with statutory requirements of accuracy and quality. Any hurried compliance merely to meet deadlines exposes taxpayers to errors and future litigation,” Himank Singla, CA, told ET Wealth in an interview.
This year’s filing season has already seen one extension, from July 31 to September 15 for individual taxpayers not subject to audit. But with audit-related deadlines of September 30 and October 31 still in place, industry bodies argue that the circumstances remain far from normal.
CAs and the tax professionals are now demanding that the income tax department give taxpayers and professionals the breathing space to comply fairly, without risking mistakes that could later attract penalties or notices. Whether the Union Ministry of Finance agrees to push back the deadlines again will decide how smoothly this year’s tax season ends.
However, taxpayers should know that the September 15 deadline is still officially in place and they must prepare accordingly. Speculations and demands will not help if the deadline doesn’t get extended beyond this date. For non-audit filings, individual taxpayers should file one time to avoid unnecessary penalties and interest.
