The Income Tax Department has confirmed that more than 6.5 crore Income Tax Returns have already been filed for Assessment Year 2026-27, with over 2 crore of those specifically being ITR-3 and ITR-4 filings recorded as of yesterday alone.
A Reminder as the Deadline Approaches
With the filing window for ITR-3, 4, 5, and 7 closing before August 31, the department has urged taxpayers who haven't yet filed to avoid waiting until the very last few days. Given how quickly filing volumes tend to spike right before a deadline, the department's message is fairly straightforward: filing early helps avoid last-minute technical glitches, portal slowdowns, and the general stress of a rushed submission.
For anyone still working through documentation, particularly those filing under ITR-3 or ITR-4, where business or professional income is involved, getting organised early matters even more. Complete, accurate ITR filing well before the deadline gives enough buffer to catch and correct any discrepancies, rather than discovering an issue with hours left on the clock.
What This Tells Us So Far
The 6.5 crore figure, with a significant share already coming from ITR-3 and ITR-4 filers specifically, suggests filing momentum is building steadily as the deadline nears. Whether that pace holds or accelerates sharply in the final days remains to be seen, but the department's advisory is a clear signal that it's anticipating a rush and would rather taxpayers spread that load out over the remaining days than compress it all into August 31 itself.
FAQs
Q1. How many ITRs have been filed so far for AY 2026-27?
Over 6.5 crore returns have been filed, including more than 2 crore ITR-3 and ITR-4 filings as of the latest update.
Q2. What is the deadline for ITR-3, 4, 5, and 7?
The filing deadline for these forms is before August 31.
Q3. Why is the department urging taxpayers to file early?
To avoid the last-minute rush and reduce the risk of technical issues or errors that come with filing right at the deadline..