ITR filing: over 2.2 crores tax returns filed so far, Will govt extend July 31 as the last date?

With the deadline to file income tax returns approaching on the 31st of July, so far, over 2.2 crore returns have been filed.

The department of revenue had received nearly 5.83 crores income tax returns last year. According to reports, the surge of filing ITRs peaked on July 31, 2022 (the due date for salaried taxpayers and other non-tax audit cases), with over 72.4 lakhs returns being filed on July 31, 2022.

And those who are hoping for the last date to be extended, there's a bad news for them. ''There is no question of an extension of the last date for submitting income tax returns, as we are keen to restore normalcy in the system. There are no glitches in the portal. Our teams are monitoring it closely," a finance ministry official said.

Late fee on ITR returns if you miss the deadline

Though taxpayers who miss the July 31 deadline can still file their returns, however, this comes with a late fee payment. For taxpayers with a yearly income up to Rs 5 lakh, a fine of Rs 1000 is charged, while a late fee of Rs 5,000 is imposed for annual income exceeding Rs 5 lakh.