ITR: A fine of ₹5,000 will be imposed after December 31st! If there's a mistake in your ITR, do this immediately..

In the past few days, many taxpayers have received emails and SMS messages from the Income Tax Department informing them that their income tax refund has been withheld because the claims made for the refund do not match the data available to the department. The department has also advised such taxpayers to file a revised ITR to correct the errors. If you have also made any mistakes while filing your ITR return, you should file a revised ITR as soon as possible. This is because the last date for filing a revised ITR is December 31, 2025.

If you have chosen the wrong ITR form or filled in any information incorrectly, your return will be considered defective under Section 139(9) of the Income Tax Act. If you do not correct the errors, your return will become invalid. You can correct your mistake by filing a revised ITR as per Section 139(5) of the Income Tax Act, 1961. Through a revised ITR, you can change your income details, deductions, or even the category of the form. Importantly, you can revise your return as many times as you want before the filing deadline.

What is a Revised ITR?

Section 139(5) of the Income Tax Act, 1961, gives taxpayers the right to correct any errors made while filing the original return, such as omitted income, incorrect deductions, or calculation errors. This correction process is called a ‘Revised Return’.

How to file a Revised Return?
Go to the Income Tax e-filing portal and log in.

Select the ‘File Income Tax Return’ option and then select ‘Revised Return’.

Enter your original return's Acknowledgement Number and filing date.

Fill out the new, correct ITR form with the revised information. Verify and submit the return, just as you did with the original return.

What is the last date for filing a revised ITR?
According to the Income Tax Department's rules, the last date for filing a revised ITR to correct any errors is December 31, 2025. Taxpayers must rectify their discrepancies and resubmit their returns within this timeframe.

Is it mandatory for all taxpayers to file a revised ITR?
No, it is not mandatory for everyone. The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) has clarified that if the deductions or exemptions claimed by the taxpayer are completely genuine and filed correctly within the ambit of the law, then they need not worry. In such cases, no additional action or resubmission of the return is required.

What happens if the revised ITR is not filed by December 31?
If a taxpayer fails to file a revised return by December 31, they will later have to opt for the 'Updated ITR' (ITR-U) option. However, this option can prove to be expensive as it may attract a penalty of up to ₹5,000. Additionally, the process may be more complex, and refunds may take even longer.

How to check the status of a revised ITR?
You can also check whether the correction you made to your ITR has been processed or not. For this, you need to visit the official Income Tax Department website https://www.incometax.gov.in/iec/foportal/. Then, go to the My Account menu and click on 'View e-Filed Returns/Forms'. Select the Rectification Status from the dropdown list and click on Submit. The status will be displayed.

How to check ITR refund status online?
First, go to the official income tax portal eportal.incometax.gov.in.
Log in using your User ID (PAN) and password. After logging in, go to the 'e-File' tab, then select 'Income Tax Returns', and then click on 'View Filed Returns'.
Here you will see the status of all the returns you have filed. By clicking on 'View details', you can find out the current stage of your refund.

Disclaimer: This content has been sourced and edited from News 18 hindi. While we have made modifications for clarity and presentation, the original content belongs to its respective authors and website. We do not claim ownership of the content.