The technical glitch involving Microsoft Windows on July 19, which affected users across the globe, is a grim reminder of the chaos it can cause to our normal online activities, and if that happens close to a deadline, you could be in for major trouble. Microsoft’s technical glitch, which lasted several hours, affected transportation, public and corporate offices, financial services, hospitals, and airports. So, if you wait until the last moment to do important tasks like filing ITR, a technical glitch on the I-T portal will prevent you from doing it on time.

Also Read: ITR Filing 2024: How Much Deduction Does Section 80EE Provide On Home Loan Interest?

Technical issues involving the income tax portal in India are not new. Hence, file your returns now instead of waiting until the July 31 deadline. Missing the last date will result in a belated ITR filing, leading to a penalty or loss of certain benefits.

Here are some issues you could face and the actions you could take to mitigate them:

Difficulty in Login: Due to high traffic, the server could be overburdened and may not open or let taxpayers log into the portal. This problem could lead to belated ITR filing.

OTP Issues: You may not receive the one-time password (OTP) sent to your Aadhaar-linked mobile number on time or fail to generate one after sending a request, which is required to log into the portal. This delay in OTP could also prevent you from filing ITR on time.

Download Issue: Suppose the tax portal is too slow to download important I-T forms like AIS and 26AS. In that case, you will not have all the information to correctly file your ITR. This may result in a belated ITR, so plan accordingly.

Incorrect Information: Information in AIS or 26AS must match with your ITR. Any mismatch in the information could lead to the rejection of your ITR. In the information provided in these documents is wrong, you must immediately report it to the income tax department.

Constant Buffering: One may also encounter the buffering issue or slow updates on the portal. They may prevent smooth downloading of challans/receipts after paying taxes or receiving ITR acknowledgment after submitting the form.

Also Read: ITR Filing: How To File ITR For Pension Income

What You Can Do?

You can log into the I-T portal during the lean hours. Gather all the necessary documents and keep them handy while filing your ITR to minimise the time spent online. Save your progress at every step to avoid re-entering the details in case the portal slows down.

Additionally, as per the income tax department, “For best results, please use Edge, Chrome, or Firefox browsers.” Further, “Taxpayers facing any technical problem related to filing may reach out to toll-free helpdesk numbers 1800 103 0025 or 1800 419 0025 or efilingwebmanager@incometax.gov.in.”