Over 24 lakh tax returns pending beyond 90 days; ITR delays continue

If you’re nonetheless ready on your revenue tax return (ITR) to be processed or on your refund to reach, you aren’t alone.

The federal government has knowledgeable Parliament that greater than 24.64 lakh revenue tax returns have been pending for processing for over 90 days for the Evaluation Yr 2025-26.

In accordance with Minister of State for Finance Pankaj Chaudhary, about 8.80 crore returns had been filed by taxpayers till February 4, 2026. Out of those, 24,64,044 returns have remained unprocessed for greater than three months.

Ought to taxpayers fear?

Most often, a delay in processing doesn’t essentially imply there’s a drawback along with your return. Processing timelines can differ relying on:

• 
  verification standing of the return
• 
  mismatch in revenue particulars
• 
  pending validation checks
• 
  workload on the tax division

Nonetheless, in case your return has been pending for a number of months, it might be value checking your return standing on the revenue tax portal.

Refund delays could also be linked to processing

Since refunds are issued solely after returns are processed, taxpayers anticipating refunds could expertise delays if their ITR stays pending.

Extra taxpayers revising returns

The federal government additionally highlighted the influence of its Non-Intrusive Utilization of Knowledge to Information and Allow (NUDGE) marketing campaign, beneath which taxpayers are inspired to evaluation and proper their filings.

Over the previous two years:

• 
  1.11 crore up to date or revised returns had been filed
• 
  Extra taxes of ₹6,976.5 crore had been paid
• 
  Complete income influence of the marketing campaign reached ₹8,810.59 crore

Many of those revised filings got here from first-time or beforehand non-filing taxpayers, usually after receiving communication from the tax division or changing into conscious by way of media outreach.

Why some taxpayers are contacted

Beneath the NUDGE initiative, the tax division makes use of information analytics to establish potential discrepancies in returns, comparable to:

• 
  undisclosed overseas property or revenue
• 
  incorrect deduction claims (for instance beneath Sections 80G, 80GGC or 80E)
• 
  extra exemption claims
• 
  incomplete reporting of economic data

Chosen taxpayers obtain communications asking them to evaluation or replace their returns voluntarily.

What’s the NUDGE initiative? 

Beneath the Non-Intrusive Utilization of Knowledge to Information and Allow (NUDGE) marketing campaign, communications are despatched to pick out taxpayers to evaluation and revise/replace their ITRs already filed. The taxpayers are chosen on the idea of superior danger evaluation, figuring out incorrect or non-reporting of property or revenue, or extra claims of deductions or exemptions of their ITRs.

The choose taxpayers are primarily those that haven’t disclosed their overseas asset holdings or revenue or have claimed incorrect deductions u/s 80G, 80GGC or 80E, and so forth. or have claimed extra exemptions.

What it is best to do now

When you have already filed your return for AY 2025-26:

• 
  Test whether or not your return has been verified
• 
  Monitor ITR processing standing on the revenue tax portal
• 
  Reply promptly to any notices or communications
• 
  Guarantee checking account particulars are appropriately linked for refunds