New Delhi, Dec 31 : Stating that income tax return (ITR) filing is going smoothly, Revenue Secretary Tarun Bajaj Today said that there is ‘absolutely no proposal’ to extend the date for filing the returns.

The extended due date for filing income tax returns is December 31, 2021.

“ITR return filing is going on very smoothly. Let me tell you, by 3 PM, 5.62 crore returns have already been filed in total and today itself people have filed more than 20 lakh returns which is the highest,” Bajaj said.

He said last year till December 31, returns amounting to Rs 4.83 crore were filed.

“This year 5.43 crore returns have been filed. So, 60 lakh more returns have been filed on same day as compared with last year. Last year also, the closing date was the same,” the revenue Secretary said.

“There is absolutely no proposal to extend the date. I am sure through this message the other people would also be filing their returns,” the top tax officer said.

Bajaj said that he expects at least 20-25 lakh more returns to come by 12 in the night.

In view of problems faced by taxpayers due to pandemic and glitches in the Income Tax filing portal, the government had extended the due date for filing returns twice — first from July to September and then from September to December 31, 2021.(UNI)