With over 6.50 crore income tax returns (ITRs) having been filed, the income tax department scales a new record. Out of 6.5 crore, nearly 36.91 lakh ITRs were filed till 6 pm on Monday.
The total number of returns filed this year is 9 percent higher than that of last year and 20 percent higher than what it was five years ago.
“We have witnessed more than 1.78 crore successful logins on the e-filing portal till 6 pm, today,” tweeted the IT department on Monday.
To assist taxpayers for ITR filing, tax payment and other related services, helpdesk of I-T department was functioning on a 24x7 basis, and they were providing support through calls, live chats and social media, among others.
While expressing gratitude to taxpayers and tax professionals, the tax department urged the taxpayers file their returns if they have yet not filed.
It is vital to note that the finance ministry had clarified a few weeks earlier that it did not intend to extend the deadline this year just like every year.
20 percent spike
The figure of 6.5 crore is 20 percent higher than the corresponding number of returns (5.42 crore) filed five years ago in 2018.
In 2019, the number rose 4.6 percent to 5.67 crore till the last date of September 10. Earlier the deadline was August 31, 2019 by when 5.65 crore ITRs were filed.
Incidentally, the tax department made history on Aug 31 that year with a quantum jump in the e-filing of ITRs with an all-time high record of 49,29,121 ITRs filed in a single day
In 2020, the number of ITRs filed rose 4.9 percent until the extended deadline of Jan 10, 2021. The multiple extensions (until Jan 10, 2021) happened because of Pandemic.
| Year | ITRs filed | Until |
| 2023 | 6.5 crore | July 31 |
| 2022 | 5.96 crore | Aug 15 |
| 2021 | 5.89 crore | Dec 31 |
| 2020 | 5.95 crore | Jan 10, 2021 |
| 2019 | 5.67 crore | Sep 10 |
| 2018 | 5.42 crore | Aug 31 |
(Source: PIB, I-T department, various media)
In 2021, 5.89 crore ITRs were filed by the extended due date of Dec 31, 2021. Of this, over 46.11 lakh returns were filed on the last date of December 31 alone.
In 2022, 5.83 crore returns were filed by July 31. The figure rose to 5.96 crore as on Aug 15, 2022.
