India and Pakistan Extend Tax Filing Deadlines

The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) in India extended the deadlines for filing income tax returns and furnishing tax audit reports for Assessment Year 2026-27 on September 28, 2026. The deadline for tax audit reports moved from September 30 to October 21, 2026, while the deadline for filing the Return of Income shifted from October 31 to November 21, 2026.

This 21-day extension follows requests from chartered accountant associations and tax professionals who cited heavy workloads and the complexity of reconciling financial data with GST returns, TDS/TCS details, and the Annual Information Statement. The CBDT stated the move provides additional time for specified taxpayers to ensure accurate reporting.

Simultaneously, the Federal Board of Revenue in Pakistan extended the deadline for filing sales tax and federal excise duty returns to September 30, 2026. This decision followed reports of technical failures within the return filing system and requests from corporate organizations and electricity distribution companies.

In Pakistan, professional bodies including the Pakistan Tax Bar Association and the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry are now urging the government to extend the income tax filing deadline for Tax Year 2026. These groups cite bugs in the IRIS portal and a shortened filing window, requesting new deadlines ranging from October 31 to December 3, 2026.