Haridwar Tax Bar Association Urges CBDT to Extend AY 2026-27 TAR Filing Deadline Until Oct 31, Flags Compressed Compliance Schedule :

The Haridwar Tax Bar Association has urged the chairman of the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT), the Ministry of Finance, to extend the due date for filing the Tax Audit Report (TAR) for the Assessment Year 2026-27 (Financial Year 2025-26), vide a representation dated September 23, 2026.

The association flagged in the representation that the permanent extension to the Income Tax Return (ITR) filing due date for non-audit cases from July 31 to August 31 is a taxpayer-friendly move. However, this extension has left only one month (from August 31 to September 30) for taxpayers to file their Tax Audit Reports (TARs) after the individual ITR compliance period ends.

The Association pointed out that the one-month period is also occupied with regular Goods and Services Tax (GST) compliances. Tax professionals have to prepare and file GSTR-1 and GSTR-3B, besides undertaking invoice verification, Input Tax Credit (ITC) reconciliation and other related GST work.

"A reasonable extension of the due date would therefore enable tax professionals to complete the audit process with the requisite diligence, accuracy and professional care, while also allowing taxpayers sufficient opportunity to furnish complete and correct information. It would also help minimize the possibility of inadvertent errors or omissions arising solely due to the compressed compliance schedule," the representation reads.

According to the Association, these overlapping compliance requirements place significant pressure on taxpayers and tax professionals during the tax audit season. It stated that extending the deadline would provide sufficient time to complete audits with proper diligence and allow taxpayers to submit complete and accurate information.

The Haridwar Tax Bar Association therefore urged the CBDT to extend the Tax Audit Report due date for AY 2026-27 from September 30, 2026, to October 31, 2026, citing the need to reduce errors and omissions caused by the compressed compliance schedule.