Taxpayers across India are struggling with ITR filing for FY 2024-25, as persistent glitches on the Income Tax Department’s e-filing portal slow down the process. From AIS/TIS download issues to missing forms and sluggish portal performance, chartered accountants (CAs) and industry bodies warn of a looming compliance crisis unless deadlines are extended.
The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) is under growing pressure to act, with experts warning that compressed timelines and unresolved technical errors are leaving both taxpayers and professionals scrambling.
AIS, TIS Download Problems Add to Tax Filing Woes
On Tuesday, several CAs reported that Annual Information Statement (AIS) and Taxpayer Information Summary (TIS) essential for accurate return filing were unavailable for download. By Wednesday, the e-filing portal itself was operating at a “snail’s pace,” frustrating users nationwide.
Mumbai-based CA Chirag Chauhan highlighted the issue on X (formerly Twitter):
“Taxpayers & professionals are currently unable to access AIS & TIS on the IT portal… @IncomeTaxIndia should communicate via Twitter to inform users about error and provide an estimated timeline for when it will be resolved.”
Chauhan also flagged that the new ITR forms demand far more detailed information, doubling preparation time. For example:
- To claim House Rent Allowance (HRA), taxpayers must now provide the landlord’s PAN, property address, and more.
- For insurance deductions, policy numbers are mandatory requirements not present in earlier ITR forms.
Calls Grow for Extension of ITR, Tax Audit Deadlines
On Wednesday, CA Himank Singla urged the government to extend not just the ITR filing deadline but also due dates for tax audits, company law audits/ROC filings, and GST annual returns.
“The ITR deadline must be extended! The tax audit deadline must be extended! The company law audit/ROC deadline must be extended! The GST annual filing deadline must be extended! All of these should be announced well in advance to prevent last-minute chaos,” he said.
The Gujarat Chamber of Commerce & Industry (GCCI) echoed the demand, warning that the delayed release of ITR utilities has severely shortened the filing window. In a representation to CBDT, GCCI sought extensions for both ITR and audit deadlines.
Deadline Pressure Mounts
The last date for filing ITRs in non-audit cases is September 15 barely a month away. Tax professionals argue this is not enough, given that:
- ITR-5 was released only on August 9.
- Utilities for ITR-6 and ITR-7 are still pending release.
Although the government had earlier extended the ITR deadline for non-audit individuals from July 31 to September 15, experts say the late release of utilities has nullified the benefit.
For audit cases, the deadline remains September 30, but professionals warn that compressed timelines are creating a ticking compliance time bomb.
Portal Glitches Continue to Frustrate Users
Apart from late utilities, users face a range of technical glitches on the e-filing portal, including:
- Errors while uploading ITRs and tax audit forms.
- Discrepancies in Form 26AS, AIS, and TIS, with mismatched figures for the same PAN.
- Frequent slow log-ins, page timeouts, and session failures during peak hours.
- Compatibility issues with new utilities, often requiring multiple fixes before stabilizing.
“These glitches make it nearly impossible to manage multiple client filings within the current timelines,” said a Delhi-based tax consultant.
Larger Concern: Compliance Bottleneck Ahead
Typically, ITR utilities are released in April, giving taxpayers several months to prepare. But this year, the process only began in July, squeezing professionals into a narrow window.
Industry bodies caution that without immediate action either fixing the portal or extending deadlines taxpayers, CAs, and the government itself may face a last-minute compliance bottleneck.
