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🧾 Major Relief for Taxpayers: ITR Filing Date Extended

In a big relief for taxpayers, the Income Tax Return (ITR) filing deadline for tax audit cases has been extended from October 31 to November 30, 2025. This decision was taken after the Punjab and Haryana High Court and the Himachal Pradesh High Court directed the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) to provide additional time for filing returns.

The extension follows petitions filed by various Tax Bar Associations, which had requested more time due to workload and audit complexities.

⚖️ Courts Step In — CBDT Under Pressure

The Punjab and Haryana High Court gave this order while hearing five separate writ petitions together. Earlier, the Gujarat High Court had also issued a similar directive, asking CBDT to extend the ITR filing deadline for audited cases to November 30, 2025.

According to the Gujarat High Court, there must be a one-month gap between the tax audit report deadline and the ITR filing date. Since the audit report deadline was already extended to October 31, the ITR due date should naturally be November 30.

Now, with three High Courts — Gujarat, Punjab & Haryana, and Himachal Pradesh — giving consistent orders, experts believe the CBDT will soon release an official circular to avoid any contempt of court proceedings.

⚠️ High Courts Criticize CBDT for Delay

During the Punjab and Haryana High Court hearing, Tax Bar Associations from Amritsar and Jalandhar also participated as petitioners. The court strongly criticized the CBDT’s counsel for failing to comply with the Gujarat High Court’s earlier order.

The bench observed that not extending the deadline despite clear judicial directions could amount to contempt of court. The CBDT’s representative requested more time, stating that the matter was currently under consideration by the CBDT Chairperson.

🏛️ Developments in Other Courts

• Himachal Pradesh High Court has also ordered an extension of the ITR filing deadline to November 30, 2025, for taxpayers under audit.

• The Delhi High Court heard a similar case on October 29, 2025, but adjourned the matter until October 30, giving the CBDT two days to seek instructions and provide a formal response.

📅 What This Means for Taxpayers

Taxpayers whose accounts are subject to audit under the Income Tax Act — typically businesses, professionals, and firms — now have an extra month to file their ITRs without penalty.

However, the final confirmation will come once the CBDT officially issues a circular, which is expected soon given multiple court directives.

🧮 Summary of Key Dates

🗣️ Expert View

Tax professionals have welcomed the move, calling it “a much-needed relief” for chartered accountants and businesses who faced technical issues and high workload during the audit season.

They’ve urged CBDT to make such extensions proactive and uniform in the future to avoid last-minute confusion and litigation.