Budget 2026: ITR Due Dates Revised for All Taxpayer Categories

The Union Budget for the Financial Year 2026–27 was presented by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in the Lok Sabha today (Sunday, 1 February 2026).

The Finance Bill, 2026 proposes to revise and formally define income tax return (ITR) filing due dates for all categories of taxpayers by amending Section 139(1) of the Income-tax Act, 1961.

Under the proposed changes, the law will clearly specify different due dates based on whether the taxpayer is subject to audit requirements or transfer pricing provisions.

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As per the revised framework:

• 30 November will be the due date for assessees to whom transfer pricing provisions under Section 92E apply.
• 31 October will be the due date for companies and other assessees whose accounts are required to be audited, excluding transfer pricing cases.
• 31 August will be the due date for business or professional taxpayers whose accounts are not required to be audited.
• 31 July will continue to be the due date for all other assessees, including salaried individuals.

The amendments are proposed to take effect from 1 March 2026 and will replace the existing explanation under Section 139(1) with a structured table clearly setting out return filing deadlines.

The government said the objective of the change is to bring clarity and certainty by embedding due dates directly into the statute, rather than relying on subordinate legislation or frequent notifications.

The revision of ITR due dates forms part of the broader direct tax reforms in Budget 2026, aimed at simplifying tax compliance and reducing procedural ambiguity for taxpayers across categories.

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