E-Filing Woes Spark Debate: Is I-T Department Planning An Extension Of ITR Deadline?

Taxpayers have encountered numerous issues with the e-filing portal, including difficulties accessing Form 26AS/AIS/TIS due to portal glitches and discrepancies between figures in TIS and AIS

Error messages during the filing process have resulted in delays in the successful submission of returns

Source : Pexels

As the July 31 deadline for filing income tax returns draws near, many taxpayers are grappling with challenges related to the e-filing portal. The prevalence of these issues in the current year has led to a surge in complaints on different social media platforms.

In response to these challenges, several chartered accountant associations have taken a stance and communicated the same with the tax department. They are specifically addressing the difficulties that both taxpayers and professionals have encountered while navigating and using the e-filing ITR portal this year.

Taxpayers have encountered numerous issues with the e-filing portal, including difficulties accessing Form 26AS/AIS/TIS due to portal glitches and discrepancies between figures in TIS and AIS.

From past few hours there is glitch,while filing #ITR

Its basic thing to provide a working portal @FinMinIndia
Resolve it @IncomeTaxIndia pic.twitter.com/jiIOMUrtmu

— Kvs Jäger☕️ (@kvs_meister) July 15, 2024

Joint income reported in the statements of joint account holders has led to scrutiny notices despite timely notifications from taxpayers. Technical issues such as continuous buffering have also impeded taxpayers' ability to complete form submissions.

Even in the month of July the site is unable to submit any form any return. #IncomeTax #ITR @IncomeTaxIndia pic.twitter.com/TpZQxk6JUD

— CA Kirti Keswani (@Kirti0404) July 13, 2024

Furthermore, the AIS/TIS portal provides a limited range of response options that may not always accurately capture specific situations. Many taxpayers have reported delays in updating their responses in TIS, which has caused frustration.

Taxpayers earning business income have encountered challenges in correctly reflecting dividend income in Schedule OS. The current utility requires dividend income to first appear as business income, complicating the process.

Error messages during the filing process have resulted in delays in the successful submission of returns. In some cases, pre-filled data in the ITR—such as salary, interest income, and TDS figures—does not align with the data in Form 26AS.

In addition, delays or failure to receive the Time Passwords (OTPs) required for authentication have caused failed attempts to verify and submit returns. Some taxpayers have also been unable to download acknowledgements of filed ITRs, which are crucial for confirming their compliance.

Will The Deadline Get An Extension?

The Income Tax department has not issued any official statement regarding a possible extension of the deadline for filing ITRs. However, there is increasing speculation and concern about the potential for an extension to address the challenges arising from e-filing glitches.