No ITR filing deadline extension buzz, this year's biggest surprise is the income tax portal itself

With the Income Tax Return (ITR) filing deadline of July 31 just a day away, many taxpayers have been wondering whether the government will extend the due date as it has in some previous years. However, this year, one key factor appears to be different: the tax e-filing portal is largely handling the last-minute rush without major disruptions.

However, this year appears different, with fewer signs of widespread portal disruption and a smoother filing experience being reported by many tax professionals.

In previous years, the final days before the ITR deadline were often marked by slow logins, portal outages, and technical glitches, prompting widespread demands for an extension.

This year, however, the situation appears different. The smoother experience reported by many tax professionals suggests that improvements made after past disruptions may be showing results, although some taxpayers continue to report isolated issues.

Over the past few days, several Chartered Accountants have shared their experiences on X, suggesting that the portal has remained stable even during peak filing hours.

Chartered Accountant Rajendra Sharma (@carajendra89) wrote: "Looks like @IncomeTaxIndia finally cracked the traffic problem! Even in the last few days of ITR filing, the portal is working smoothly."

The post quickly drew responses from fellow professionals.

Tax expert V. Sudarshan (@sudarshanindia) commented:

"Yes, everything is mostly glitch-free, and things are working more smoothly than ever before. It's indeed a good experience."

Responding to the comment, Rajendra Sharma simply replied:

"Yes."

Another Chartered Accountant, Ramakrishna Sanjay (@CARamakrishnaS), also sought feedback on the portal's performance, to which Rajendra Sharma responded:

"I am working on it now. Working smoothly."

Adding a lighter touch to the discussion, CA Bhavik Soni (@cabhaviksoni) joked:

"Earlier there was 2 lane road. Now it is 3 lane road."

Rajendra Sharma replied:

"Haha."

However, not all users reported a completely seamless experience. Some taxpayers mentioned isolated issues such as session logouts or delays in challan details being reflected. However, these appear to be individual cases rather than signs of widespread portal congestion.

Although the final decision on any deadline extension rests entirely with the government, the relatively stable performance of the Income Tax portal means one of the most common reasons cited for seeking additional time appears to be less significant this year.