With only a few days left for the July 31 deadline for most individual taxpayers, the Income Tax Department has said that more than 5 crore Income Tax Returns (ITR) have already been filed for the Assessment Year (AY) 2026-27. In a post on X, the department appealed to taxpayers to avoid last-minute panic and file their returns on time. The department said that more than 5 crore ITRs have been filed for the assessment year 2026-27. Don’t wait for the deadline. File your ITR-1 and ITR-2 today. Also, the department reiterated that July 31 is the last date for the persons who have to fill these two return forms.
This reminder has come at a time when there is a surge in filing on the e-filing portal in the last week of the tax season. Tax experts have repeatedly advised taxpayers not to wait for the last day as filing may get delayed due to high traffic on the portal, document discrepancies or verification issues. Missing the due date may result in late filing fees, interest on outstanding taxes and, in some cases, prohibition on carry forward of losses.
Over 5 Crore ITRs have already been filed for AY 202627.
Don’t wait for the last-minute rush. Reconcile and file your ITR-1 or ITR-2 for AY 2026-27 today!
File Smart. File Now.
https://t.co/GYvO3mStKf@nsitharamanoffc @officeofpcm @FinMinIndia @PIB_India pic.twitter.com/toUf9U05L2
— Income Tax India (@IncomeTaxIndia) July 29, 2026
Who should file ITR-1?
ITR-1 (Sahaj) is for resident individuals whose total income is up to Rs 50 lakh during the financial year 2025-26. It can be used by taxpayers who have income from salary or pension, income from a house property (except in cases where carry-forward losses are incurred), and income from other sources such as interest. Income from farming should not exceed Rs 5,000. However, taxpayers cannot use ITR-1 if they have capital gains, income from business or profession, foreign assets or income, directorship in a company, investment in unlisted equity shares, or total income more than Rs 50 lakh.
Who can fill ITR-2?
ITR-2 is for individuals and Hindu undivided families (HUFs) who are not eligible for ITR-1 but whose income is not from business or profession. This form is generally used by taxpayers whose income exceeds Rs 50 lakh, who own more than one house property, have capital gains from sale of shares, mutual funds or property, have foreign income or foreign assets, or have other income that makes them ineligible for ITR-1. This is also a suitable return for many investors and high net-worth salaried individuals who have a more complex income profile that does not include business income.
For assessment year 2026-27, the last date for filing ITR-1 and ITR-2 is July 31, 2026, as the government has not extended any deadline yet. Taxpayers should match the information given in Form 26AS, Annual Information Statement (AIS) and Form 16 before submitting their returns so that there are no discrepancies and there is no delay in processing.
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