New Delhi, September 28, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) has extended the deadline for filing income tax returns for taxpayers subject to audit under the Income-tax Act, 1961, for the assessment year 2026-27 from October 31 to November 21.
According to an official statement issued on Monday, the specified date for furnishing tax audit reports has also been extended from September 30 to October 21. The CBDT said a formal notification confirming the revised deadlines would be issued separately.
The extension follows demands from several chartered accountant associations and tax professionals, who had sought additional time to complete audit-related procedures. Many had called for the return-filing deadline to be extended to October 31, citing the time required to complete audits, verify disclosures and reconcile information across tax and financial records.
The revised deadlines are expected to provide taxpayers and auditors with additional time to complete the audit process and submit the required reports through the income-tax e-filing portal. The extension is also aimed at facilitating ease of doing business.
Meanwhile, the government’s net direct tax collections registered a 13 per cent year-on-year increase to more than Rs 12.12 lakh crore between April 1 and September 17 of the current financial year, according to official data.
Gross direct tax collections rose by over 15 per cent to Rs 14.3 lakh crore during the same period.
Corporate tax collections grew by 19.48 per cent to around Rs 5.56 lakh crore, while personal income tax collections, including those from Hindu Undivided Families (HUFs), increased by 6 per cent to more than Rs 6.16 lakh crore.
Securities Transaction Tax (STT) collections recorded a sharp rise of 53 per cent, reaching Rs 40,214 crore between April 1 and September 17 compared to the corresponding period of the previous year.
The data also showed that tax refunds issued during the period surged by over 29 per cent to more than Rs 2.2 lakh crore.
FOLLOW NOW
