Taxpayers are encountering significant challenges while filing their income tax returns due to persistent glitches in the e-filing portal. These issues include difficulties in accessing crucial forms such as Form 26AS, AIS, and TIS.
The deadline for filing income tax returns (ITR) in 2024 is set for July 31. As the due date approaches, many taxpayers have already initiated the filing process, with a substantial number having completed their returns. According to the Income Tax Department, over 2.7 crore ITRs had been filed as of July 14, 2024, marking a 13% increase compared to the same period last year. On July 13, the number of ITRs filed per day exceeded 13 lakhs, showing a continuous upward trend as the deadline nears. Notably, the milestone of 1 crore ITRs for AY 2024-25 was reached on June 23, 2024, and the 2 crore milestone was achieved on July 7, 2024, both earlier than the previous year.
However, despite this progress, taxpayers are grappling with significant issues on the e-filing portal. These problems have prompted the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) to formally address the Income Tax Department, highlighting “Concerns in relation to Form 26AS/TIS/AIS and in e-filing the ITR Forms.”
Piyush S Chhajed, Chairman of the Direct Taxes Committee at ICAI, stated, “As you are kindly aware, section 139(1) of the Act provides for the statutory timeline of 31st July, 2024 for filing of returns of income for the AY 2024-25 of individuals, HUFs, and firms not subject to tax audit. Many taxpayers are facing difficulty in relation to Form 26AS/AIS/TIS due to glitches in the income-tax e-filing portal.”
Common Glitches Faced by Taxpayers
Taxpayers have reported several issues while filing their income tax returns, as identified by ICAI:
- Difficulty in accessing Form 26AS, AIS, and TIS.
- Discrepancies between figures in the statements.
- Limited response options in AIS and TIS.
- Delayed updates of responses in TIS.
- Technical glitches on the Income-tax e-filing Portal.
- Mismatch in pre-filled data.
- Error messages during ITR filing.
- Non-receipt of OTPs for authentication.
- Difficulty in downloading filed ITR receipts.
Given these ongoing issues, there is speculation about whether the deadline for ITR filing will be extended beyond July 31, 2024. Taxpayers and professionals alike are eagerly awaiting updates from the Income Tax Department regarding any potential extensions to accommodate these challenges.
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