To enhance taxpayer convenience and ease of compliance, the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) has announced the early availability of Income Tax Return (ITR) filing functionalities for the Assessment Year 2024-25, relevant to the Financial Year 2023-24.
Taxpayers can now access and file their ITRs for commonly used forms such as ITR-1, ITR-2, and ITR-4 on the e-filing portal starting from April 1st, 2024. Additionally, companies can also utilize the ITR-6 form for filing their returns from the same date.
To prepare taxpayers for this early filing opportunity, CBDT had previously notified the ITR forms in advance. ITR-1 and ITR-4 were first notified on December 22nd, 2023, followed by ITR-6 on January 24th, 2024, and ITR-2 on January 31st, 2024.
Moreover, to facilitate e-Return Intermediaries (ERI), CBDT has made available the JSON Schema for ITR-1, ITR-2, ITR-4, and ITR-6, as well as the Schema of Tax Audit Reports for A.Y. 2024-25. These resources can be accessed in the downloads section of the e-filing portal.
Since the opening of the e-filing portal on April 1st, approximately 23,000 ITRs for A.Y. 2024-25 have already been filed, indicating an early uptake of the system. CBDT also plans to make the facility to file ITRs 3, 5, and 7 available shortly.
This initiative marks a significant milestone as the Income Tax department allows taxpayers to file their returns on the very first day of the new financial year, a first in recent times. This move underscores the department’s commitment to streamlining processes and providing seamless services to taxpayers.
Taxpayers can access the Income Tax Returns e-filing portal at eportal.incometax.gov.in/iec/foservices/#/login to begin their filing process for A.Y. 2024-25.
