The Economic Times

ITR-U cannot be filed if proceedings are initiated against a taxpayer, even when it is unrelated to the income to be disclosed in ITR-U, why Budget 2026 must fix this

The Updated Return (ITR-U) is a successful tax reform. However, it cannot be filed if tax proceedings have started, even if unrelated to the disclosed income. Budget 2026 should amend this rule. This change will allow more taxpayers to self-correct errors, boosting voluntary compliance and revenue collection. It will also reduce litigation and align with trust-based governance.