Income Tax Portal Crashes Again: One-Day ITR Extension Mocked, Data Mismatch Claims Emerge
The Central government’s decision to extend the deadline for filing Income Tax Returns (ITRs) by one more day to September 16 has drawn more criticism than relief. The move came against the backdrop of persistent glitches on the income tax portal over the past several days.
Chartered accountants, in particular, were irked by the timing of the announcement. The extension was declared at 11:48 pm on September 15 — just 12 minutes before the original deadline expired. Many professionals and taxpayers felt the gesture was symbolic rather than substantive, and this sentiment was widely reflected on microblogging platform X (formerly Twitter).
Frustrated users flooded the platform with complaints. CA AK Mittal lamented: “Who had thought such a black day would come? ITR fully prepared, tax already paid, but we are not allowed to file before due date because the IT Portal is dead. Waiting for anything more to happen?”
Sarcasm, too, was in ample supply. CA Atul Modani quipped: “Extension notification for just one day inspired by the ‘1 दिन का मुख्यमंत्री’ of Nayak movie.”
Several tax practitioners expressed concern over the continued instability of the e-filing system. One user wrote: “Salute to young tax practitioners serving the nation like soldiers, while the Government and Finance Ministry treat them like revenue machines. No gratitude, no support — just blind chase for taxes. Even now, the web portal is down. Shameful governance.”
Beyond frustration, questions were also raised over discrepancies in the Income Tax Department’s own data. In a post tagging Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and the Prime Minister’s Office, Modani alleged a mismatch between figures reported on the department’s social media handles and those displayed on its website.
According to him, 7.09 crore ITRs were filed until September 15, 2025, compared with 7.28 crore filed by July 31, 2024. Based on the previous year’s 7.55% growth rate, he argued that filings should have reached 7.82 crore this year — implying a shortfall of nearly 73 lakh returns.
What further raised eyebrows was the IT department’s midnight post claiming that 7.3 crore ITRs had been filed, a figure at odds with the website’s updated data. “So which data is wrong and misleading? The website updated this morning or the tweet claiming 7.3 crore filings?” Modani asked.
The uproar over frequent technical glitches and the apparent inconsistencies in official figures has put the government on the defensive. What was meant to be a gesture of relief has instead deepened distrust, with taxpayers and professionals alike pressing the Finance Ministry for accountability and clarity.
