ITR filing AY 2026-27: Over 5.9 crore returns filed by July 31 deadline
Synopsis
Over 5.9 crore income tax returns landed at the Income Tax Department by July 31 — with 40 lakh filed on the last day alone. The AY 2026-27 cycle also introduced revised ITR forms covering capital gains and buyback losses, signalling a steady tightening of India's disclosure framework even as the last-minute filing habit persists.
Key Takeaways
Over 5.9 crore ITRs were filed for AY 2026-27 by the July 31, 2026 deadline.
More than 40 lakh returns were submitted on the final day, reflecting a last-minute surge.
Filings grew from 1.7 crore on 11 July to 5.5 crore by end of day on 31 July before crossing 5.9 crore .
CBDT notified revised ITR forms for AY 2026-27 covering long-term capital gains , share buyback losses, and trading transactions.
In FY 2024-25 , more than 9 crore ITRs were filed and refunds worth over ₹4.35 lakh crore were issued.
More than 5.9 crore income tax returns (ITRs) were filed for Assessment Year (AY) 2026-27 by the July 31 deadline, the Income Tax Department confirmed on Saturday, 1 August 2026, crediting taxpayers for their timely compliance. The milestone underscores the growing scale of India's direct tax base, even as filing activity surged dramatically in the final hours.
Filing Momentum: How the Numbers Built Up
The pace of ITR submissions accelerated sharply in the weeks leading up to the deadline. By 11 July, filings had crossed 1.7 crore; that figure more than doubled to 3 crore by 22 July. Returns then crossed 4 crore by 27 July, breached the 5 crore mark on 31 July, and climbed past 5.5 crore before the close of filing on Friday — ultimately crossing 5.9 crore. Over 40 lakh returns were filed on the final day alone, reflecting the familiar last-minute rush despite repeated advisories from the department.
What the Department Said
In a post on social media platform X, the Income Tax Department wrote: 'Thank you, taxpayers! Over 5.9 crore ITRs were filed for AY 2026-27 by July 31st! Your trust and timely compliance provide the energy that fuels India's growth.' The department had earlier urged filers not to wait until the deadline to avoid potential technical disruptions and portal congestion on the e-filing platform.
Key Changes in AY 2026-27 ITR Forms
For this assessment year, the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) notified revised ITR forms with updated disclosure requirements. The revisions include reporting norms for long-term capital gains, losses from share buybacks, and certain trading transactions — changes aimed at improving transparency and simplifying overall tax compliance.
Context: India's Direct Tax Scale
The AY 2026-27 tally of 5.9 crore comes against a backdrop of more than 9 crore ITRs filed during FY 2024-25 — a figure that includes all categories of filers across the full financial year. In that period, the Income Tax Department issued refunds worth over ₹4.35 lakh crore, illustrating the expanding administrative footprint of India's direct tax system. The current deadline applies specifically to individuals and entities not required to have their accounts audited. With compliance culture deepening and digital filing infrastructure maturing, the trajectory points toward continued growth in the taxpayer base.
Point of View
But the more telling number is the 40 lakh returns filed on the final day — a persistent pattern that the Income Tax Department has tried and failed to break through repeated public advisories. The structural problem is not awareness but incentive: there is no meaningful cost to last-minute filing for most individuals. Meanwhile, the revised ITR forms for AY 2026-27 — covering capital gains, buyback losses, and trading transactions — represent a quiet but significant tightening of disclosure norms. The real compliance test will come not at filing time but at the scrutiny stage, when these new disclosures are actually assessed.
NationPress
1 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
How many ITRs were filed for AY 2026-27 by the July 31 deadline?
More than 5.9 crore income tax returns were filed for AY 2026-27 by the July 31, 2026 deadline. Over 40 lakh of those were submitted on the final day alone.
Who was required to file ITR by July 31, 2026?
The July 31 deadline applies to individuals and entities not required to have their accounts audited. Those requiring audit have a separate, later deadline.
What are the key changes in ITR forms for AY 2026-27?
The CBDT notified revised ITR forms for AY 2026-27 that include updated disclosure requirements covering long-term capital gains, losses from share buybacks, and certain trading transactions. These changes are aimed at improving transparency and simplifying compliance.
How does AY 2026-27 ITR filing compare to the previous year?
In FY 2024-25, more than 9 crore ITRs were filed across the full financial year, compared to 5.9 crore by the July 31 deadline for AY 2026-27 — which covers only non-audit filers at this stage. The department also issued refunds worth over ₹4.35 lakh crore in FY 2024-25.
Why did the Income Tax Department urge early filing?
The department repeatedly asked taxpayers not to wait until the last day to avoid technical glitches and heavy traffic on the e-filing portal. Despite this, over 40 lakh returns were still filed on July 31 alone.
