Tax Audit Due Date: Will CBDT Extend Deadline Beyond September 30?

Tax Audit Date Extension Latest News:

Even as income tax professionals are urging the central government to extend the tax audit deadline beyond September 30, the Rajasthan High Court and the Karnataka High Court have directed the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) to extend the due date to submit tax audit reports (TARs) till October 31, 2025. The income tax department is expected to come out with a notification soon.

Though the HC orders are applicable in Karnataka and Rajasthan, any nationwide deadline extension will depend upon the CBDT’s official notification.

According to sources, the CBDT is expected to come out with a notification soon, after the HCs’ directives.

What High Courts Say

The Rajasthan High Court’s Jodhpur bench issued an interim

order on September 24, directing India’ apex direct tax body CBDT to extend the last date for filing tax audit reports to October 31. Hearing a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by the Jodhpur Tax Bar Association regarding the flaws in the Income Tax portal on Wednesday, a division bench of Justice PS Bhati and Justice Bipin Gupta directed the CBDT to issue a notification intimating the extension and listed the matter for next hearing on October 27.

The counsel for the petitioner association submitted to the court that large firms, trusts, companies, and traders are required to complete their annual audits by September 30, and now only a few days are left.

Every year, around 40 lakh audit reports are filed across the country before the deadline. As of September 23, only about 4 lakh audit reports have been submitted nationwide, which means that filing 36 lakh audit reports in less than a week is impossible.

Apart from tax professionals, business owners across the country have also been continuously demanding an extension of the deadline, the petitioner association said, while citing similar petitions in other parts of the country.

Separately, the Karnataka HC order followed a writ petition filed by the Karnataka State Chartered Accountants Association (KSCAA) seeking additional time for filing tax audits. A division bench of Justice Pushpendra Singh Bhati and Justice Bipin Gupta observed that the CBDT has allowed similar relaxations in past years. The interim order came after a petition from the Tax Bar Association, Jodhpur, and multiple High Courts across India are currently hearing similar requests.

What Tax Professionals Say?

Tax professionals say that the delayed release of income tax forms this year has increased the workload for auditors and accounting professionals. They add that technical glitches on the income tax portal, including slow performance, login issues, and problems like the annual information statement (AIS), add to the woes.

“Non-audit ITRs, whose extended deadline was September 16, took so much of our time. After that, we have less than 15 days to submit tax audit reports, which is a cumbersome and time-consuming process, failing which there is a penalty of Rs 1.5 lakh. We expect the CBDT to extend the deadline,” said Mohd Shoaib, a tax professional based out of Delhi.

Who Must Submit the Tax Audit Report?

Under Section 44AB of the Income Tax Act, certain categories of taxpayers are required to get their accounts audited by a chartered accountant and submit the audit report along with their income tax return. These include:

• Businesses with annual turnover exceeding Rs 1 crore (Rs 10 crore for businesses under the presumptive taxation scheme with 6%-8% presumptive income). Also, for businesses with cash receipts and payments up to 5%, the annual turnover limit for audit is Rs 10 crore.
• If a business opted for presumptive taxation last year but reports a loss this year, it must get its accounts audited regardless of turnover.
• Professionals earning gross receipts above Rs 50 lakh in a financial year.
• Persons covered under special provisions, such as those opting for the presumptive taxation scheme under Sections 44AD, 44ADA, or 44AE, if their turnover exceeds the prescribed limits and they choose to maintain detailed books of accounts.

For the financial year 2024-25 (assessment year 2025-26), the tax audit report is required to be submitted by September 30, 2025. Following this, the ITR must be filed by October 31, 2025. These dates are applicable for businesses and professionals. For non-audit ITRs, the final deadline was September 16.

What Happens When You Fail To File Tax Audit Report?

Failing to file a tax audit report on time can attract heavy penalties. Section 271B stipulates a penalty of 0.5% of total turnover or gross receipts, subject to a maximum of Rs 1.5 lakh. Timely compliance not only avoids fines but also ensures smooth processing of income tax returns and refunds.