The Income Tax Department has extended the last date for filing Income Tax Returns (ITR) for Assessment Year 2025-26 from October 31 to December 10, 2025, providing relief to companies and taxpayers requiring audits. Additionally, the new deadline for submitting audit reports has been set as November 10. This decision was made considering requests from the industry and regions affected by natural disasters.
Income Tax Return: The Income Tax Department on Wednesday provided significant relief to companies, partnership firms, and taxpayers for whom audits are mandatory. The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) announced that the deadline for filing Income Tax Returns for Assessment Year 2025-26 will now be December 10, 2025, instead of October 31. The final date for audit reports has been set as November 10. The department took this decision due to demands from the industry and the impact on businesses in states affected by floods and natural disasters.
New Date for ITR Filing Announced
The administrative body of the Income Tax Department, the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT), issued an official statement on Wednesday, announcing that the deadline for filing ITR for Assessment Year 2025-26 has been extended from October 31 to December 10, 2025. Concurrently, the final date for submitting audit reports has also been set as November 10, 2025.
Under the Income Tax Act, companies and firms whose accounts are mandatorily subject to audit are required to file their returns by October 31 each year. For individual taxpayers and Hindu Undivided Families (HUFs), this deadline is generally July 31. This year, the deadline for individual taxpayers was extended to September 16.
Why This Decision Was Taken
The CBDT stated that this decision was taken at the request of the industry and business organizations. This is because recent floods and other natural disasters in several parts of the country have disrupted economic activities. The preparation of ledgers and documents was affected in many states, making it difficult to file audit reports and returns on time. Considering this, the Tax Department decided to grant taxpayers additional time.
Audit Report Deadline Was Also Extended Previously
Previously, on September 25, the department had extended the last date for filing audit reports by one month to October 31. However, this has now been further extended to November 10. The department has clarified that taxpayers who need to submit audit reports can do so by November 10, while the new deadline for filing ITR will be December 10.
Millions of Taxpayers to Benefit
According to the department, over 7.54 crore income tax returns have been filed so far this year. Among these, approximately 1.28 crore taxpayers have paid Self-Assessment Tax. The extension of the deadline will provide relief to a large number of companies and business entities that require more time to prepare audit reports and scrutinize documents.
