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Informist, Monday, Sept. 28, 2026

NEW DELHI – The Central Board of Direct Taxes has extended the last date to file income tax returns for assessment year 2026-27 (Apr-Mar), or financial year 2025-26 (Apr-Mar), to Nov. 21 from Oct. 31 for taxpayers whose accounts are required to be audited under the Income-tax Act, 1961.

"Accordingly, the 'specified date' for furnishing of the report of audit under the provisions of the Income-tax Act, 1961 for Assessment Year 2026-27, in the case of such persons, stands extended to 21st October, 2026," the Income Tax Department said. The earlier date to file the audit report was Sept. 30.

As per the Income Tax Act, 1961, these specified audit cases will include a corporate assessee or a non-corporate assessee whose books of account are required to be audited under the Income Tax Act or any other law for the time being in force, or a partner of a firm whose accounts are required to be audited under Income Tax Act, or the spouse of such partner if the provisions of section 5A (Apportionment of Income between spouses governed by the Portuguese Civil Code) apply to such spouse.

This is likely to come as a huge relief for businesses and tax professionals who had taken to social media repeatedly that the due date to file the audit report and the return must be extended.

The Tamil Nadu Bharatiya Janata Party Professional Cell, among many others, had on Sunday written to Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and CBDT Chairman Ravi Agrawal that the due date for furnishing tax audit reports for assessment year 2026-27 should be extended to Oct. 31 from Sept. 30. "The request is due to enhanced MSME and GST-related disclosures requiring extensive reconciliation, to ensure quality & accurate compliance - not relaxation of compliance," the association had said. 

Reported by Priyasmita Dutta

Edited by Akul Nishant Akhoury

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