The Income Tax Portal Project, a massive ₹4,241.97 crore initiative spanning 8.5 years, was launched by the Finance Ministry in collaboration with Infosys. While the project represents a major step forward in modernizing India’s taxation system, persistent glitches and annual disruptions continue to raise serious concerns.
The question remains: Who bears the responsibility for these recurring issues, the Government or its celebrated tech partner, Infosys?
The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) extended the due date for income tax return filing to September 15, 2025. According to the official press release, the delay is due to the time required to make utilities ready. The reason appears genuine.
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But this raises further questions:
Where exactly is the problem?
It’s difficult to point fingers definitively. Infosys, being one of India’s top tech giants, naturally emerged as a leading contender for such a critical government contract and the government trusted their capability and also the low quotation provided by them. However, since its launch in 2021, the portal has been marred by recurring issues, especially its inability to handle heavy traffic during peak filing periods. The government has paid Rs. 165 Crores to the Infosys team in 2019.
As the tech partner, Infosys should have anticipated the increasing number of taxpayers each year and taken proactive steps to ensure the portal’s performance. Moreover, it’s hardly a revelation that utilities need to be ready by April or May of every financial year and yet, this readiness continues to fall short.
So who is to be held accountable? Infosys, for failing to prepare adequately? Or the Ministry, for continuing to rely on them despite repeated setbacks?
Last year alone, the portal experienced 15 major issues that frustrated taxpayers and professionals alike:
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These are not just technical bugs, they are bottlenecks that stall financial workflows and erode public trust. Similarly the Karnataka State Chartered Accountants Association (KSCAA) submitted a representation on the ongoing technical issues affecting the Income Tax portal before the board. The glitches raised as follows:
Despite repeated complaints from professionals and the public, technical glitches on the portal continue to persist. Even when grievances are raised, they often go unresolved or are not addressed effectively. It is imperative for the government to prioritize the interests of taxpayers after all, the nation’s major source of revenue depends on their compliance and trust in the system. Also may be to change the contract to some other team who could do the best.
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