The Central Board of Direct Taxes, under the Ministry of Finance, issued Notification No. 51/2026 dated 30 March 2026, introducing the Income-tax (Eighth Amendment) Rules, 2026. Exercising powers under Sections 139 and 295 of the Income-tax Act, 1961, the amendment substitutes the existing Form ITR-V in Appendix II of the Income-tax Rules, 1962. The revised ITR-V form will come into effect from 31 March 2026 and apply to income tax returns filed for Assessment Year 2026–27 onwards. ITR-V, being the verification form for electronically filed returns without digital signatures, has been updated to align with current compliance and verification mechanisms. The amendment continues the government’s effort to modernize tax administration, enhance accuracy in return verification, and ensure streamlined processing of income tax filings while maintaining consistency with recent regulatory updates.
MINISTRY OF FINANCE
(Department of Revenue)
(CENTRAL BOARD OF DIRECT TAXES)
Notification No. 51/2026-Income Tax | Dated: 30th March, 2026
G.S.R. 232(E).— In exercise of the powers conferred by section 139 read with section 295 of the Income-tax Act, 1961 (43 of 1961), the Central Board of Direct Taxes hereby makes the following rules further to amend Income-tax Rules, 1962, namely:-
1. (1) These rules may be called the Income-tax (Eighth Amendment) Rules, 2026;
(2) They shall come into force with effect from the 31st day of March, 2026 and shall apply in respect of returns filed for Assessment Year 2026-27.
2. In the Income-tax Rules, 1962 (hereinafter referred to as the said rules), in Appendix II, (a) for FORM ITR-V, the following FORM shall, be substituted, namely:––
[Notification No. 51 /2026/F. No.370142/12 /2026-TPL]
PRADEEP SHARMA, Dy. Secy., Tax Policy and Legislation
Note.- The Income-tax Rules, 1962 rules were published in the Gazette of India, Extraordinary, Part II, Section 3, subsection(ii) vide number S.O. 969 (E), dated the 26th March, 1962 and was last amended vide notification GSR 231 (E), dated the 30th March, 2026.
