Income Tax Portal Glitches: Is One-Day Extension Enough for Taxpayers?
Filing income tax returns (ITRs) for Assessment Year 2025–26 has turned into a stressful exercise for millions of taxpayers, with login errors, frozen screens, and failed transactions plaguing the process. In response, the government announced yet another deadline extension—this time by just one day—pushing the last date from September 15 to September 16, 2025.
The move came after the income tax e-filing portal struggled with heavy traffic and persistent glitches on the final filing day. By September 15, a record 7.3 crore ITRs had already been filed, surpassing last year’s 7.28 crore, yet lakhs of taxpayers were still left grappling with system crashes while attempting to log in, pay advance tax, or download their Annual Information Statement (AIS).
Mixed Reactions from Experts
While the government’s extension gave some relief, many questioned whether a single day was enough.Archit Gupta, founder and CEO of ClearTax, said the additional day still carried value:
“The extension of the ITR filing deadline provides taxpayers with a valuable opportunity to avoid penalties on delayed filing, potentially saving up to ₹5,000. With about 1.5 to 2 crore taxpayers yet to file, this extension offers a rare chance to ensure compliance without the added burden of fines.”
However, others criticized the government’s handling of the situation. Abhishek Kumar, SEBI-registered investment adviser and founder of SahajMoney, called it poor planning:
“An extension for a day would surely help aggrieved tax filers, but the announcement came around midnight and that too with two hours of downtime. This could have been planned in a better manner. The government probably wants to settle their revenue targets through tax collection for the previous financial year.”
Risks of Missing the Deadline
Tax experts also highlighted the serious consequences of failing to file even within the extended timeline. Aarti Raote, Partner at Deloitte India, warned:
“Missing the deadline may attract a penalty of up to ₹5,000, along with 1% interest per month on unpaid taxes. Taxpayers would also lose the ability to carry forward current year losses, the chance to switch to a more favorable tax regime, and may face delays in refunds or increased scrutiny. It is ideal that returns are filed within time.”
Strain on Professionals
For chartered accountants and tax professionals, the extension brought little relief. CA Sachin Singh shared on LinkedIn:
“This year’s filing season tested patience like never before. Between a portal that kept crumbling and the ticking clock of deadlines, it felt like a race against time. Yes, the department eventually gave a one-day extension – but for professionals, that meant just one more sleepless night to ensure every return was filed safely.”
Bigger Issue: System Reliability
This was not the first extension. The government had already pushed the original July 31 deadline to September 15, aiming to reduce the last-minute rush. But with persistent glitches, many taxpayers argue that short extensions are only temporary fixes.The real solution, they say, lies in creating a robust, reliable filing system rather than shifting deadlines by a day or two.
