More than 4 crore ITRs filed for AY 2026-27, says Income Tax Department

The Income Tax Department said more than 4 crore income tax returns have been filed for AY 2026-27 and urged eligible taxpayers to complete the process before the July 31 deadline to avoid last-minute rush and ensure smooth processing of returns

New Delhi: More than 4 crore income tax returns (ITRs) have been filed for the assessment year (AY) 2026-27 so far, the Income Tax Department said on Monday.

In a post on X, the department said over 4 crore ITRs have already been filed and advised eligible taxpayers to avoid the last-minute rush by filing their Income Tax Return (ITR)-1 and ITR-2 at the earliest.

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The latest milestone comes less than a week after the department had announced that ITR filings had crossed the 3 crore mark, with more than 15 lakh returns filed in a single day.

Earlier this month, it had said over 1.7 crore taxpayers had filed their returns, reflecting a steady acceleration in the pace of filings as the due date approaches.

Additionally, ITR filings have witnessed steady growth in recent years.

The Income Tax Department’s e-filing portal shows that 9.19 crore returns were filed in FY2024-25, up from 8.52 crore in FY2023-24 and 7.78 crore in FY2022-23.

The I-T department also urged taxpayers yet to file their returns to complete the process well before the July 31 deadline.

The department has repeatedly appealed to taxpayers not to wait until the last few days, saying early filing helps avoid heavy traffic on the e-filing portal and ensures smoother processing of returns.

ITR-1 (Sahaj) is meant for resident individuals having total income of up to Rs 50 lakh from salary, one house property and other sources, including agricultural income of up to Rs 5,000.

ITR-2 is applicable to individuals and Hindu Undivided Families (HUFs) that do not have income from profits and gains from business or profession but have income from sources such as capital gains.

Earlier this year, the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) notified the revised ITR forms for AY 2026-27 with updated disclosure requirements, including reporting norms relating to long-term capital gains, losses arising from share buybacks and certain trading transactions.