India is celebrating 76 years of independence. We proudly speak of becoming a $5 trillion economy, a digital leader, and an IT powerhouse. But amid these claims lies a bitter irony – our own Income Tax Department cannot run a stable website for filing returns and audits.
From an economics perspective, the state’s source of income must be the strongest pillar – clear, transparent, and free of obstacles. Tax revenue is the lifeblood of governance, funding roads, railways, defense, and welfare. Yet in India, taxpayers still face barriers, glitches, and endless struggles just to pay what they owe.
Even with just 7 crore ITR filings, the portal buckled under pressure. With a population of 140 crore, how will the system ever manage if compliance expands? Is the fault with the taxpayer, or with the Department that has failed to upgrade infrastructure despite decades of tax revenue and access to world-class IT talent?
The Double Standards
When it suits the Department, due dates are extended at will. But when taxpayers and professionals demand extensions because the website simply won’t function, the answer is different: “Change your browser. Update your Java. Fix your computer settings.” The fault is shifted onto citizens instead of admitting institutional failure.
A striking example: on the same day that lakhs of taxpayers were rushing to file ITRs, the Department had also fixed the advance tax due date. What kind of planning is this? After heavy backlash, the due date was extended by a token one day – as if taxpayers were being mocked.
Now, the country faces the 30th September deadline for Tax Audit reports. Professionals across India have pleaded for an extension, rightly pointing out that it is impossible to complete lakhs of audits in just 15 days after the ITR rush. Yet the Department remains silent.
A Call for Accountability
Taxpayers are not unwilling. They contribute generously; India has some of the best IT minds in the world. The real problem is willpower and accountability. Instead of building more roads one year, why not first clear the taxpayer’s road to compliance? If citizens cannot pay smoothly, what moral right does the government have to expect higher revenues?
This is not just inefficiency – it is shamelessness. After 76 years of independence, the Income Tax Department still cannot guarantee a glitch-free platform for compliance. If we truly dream of becoming an economic superpower, the first reform must begin here.
Taxpayers deserve respect, not excuses.
Author Bio
Technical glitches in business ITRs also cropped up due to budgetary changes introduced in previous years. Data of income from share market like GF rates, different rates on cut date of 23/07 / 24, petty dividend amount to reported etc in ITRs have created so many issues.
76 years of Independence is nothing to do with glitches in Income Tax website. Filing ITR started from 2007 or 2008 onwards. Till that time Income Tax department as it is made so changes in terms of taxation, rules and regulations. That’s what counts not the working of web site. Yes, since when department changed the software provider we have ‘n’ number of problems with the web site functionality. So, why wait till last minute, file as early as possible. But, what surprises me is extension of due date from 31st July to September 30th. Without any representations, department extended the due date. So, the software provider and department did know that there is going to be problem with web site functionality. But still they adamant to extend the due dates. Hope better sense prevails.
The comments are bad in taste.CA community have taken FM for granted since many years for extending dates.
They must take efforts to file returns of clients in time,instead of last minutes excuses.
My CA filed returns on last date,were assessed in 3days with refund on the same day.
online cloud like google drive, one drive, amzon etc have that’s much capacity that they synch data on real time with billions of user v/s our income tax portal they not even capacity to procced ITR of 10-15 lakhs.