In this article you can gain knowledge about various provisions and procedure relating to furnishing/ filing the return of income. The provisions discussed in this part are applicable for furnishing the return of income for the assessment year 2025-26, i.e., financial year 2024-25.

Forms of return prescribed under the Income -tax Law

Under the Income-tax Law, different forms of return of income are prescribed for different classes of taxpayers. The return forms are known as ITR forms (Income-tax Return Forms).

The following table gives a brief overview of the return forms and is not an exhaustive discussion on the return forms. For more provisions of applicability/non-applicability of the ITR Forms, the readers should go through the discussion on each ITR Form covered in this topic in later part.

Forms of return prescribed under the Income -tax Law for the assessment year 2025-26

Return Form	Brief Description
ITR-1	Also known as SAHAJ is applicable to a ordinarily Resident individual having salary or pension income or income from one house property (not a case of brought forward loss or loss to be carried forward) or income from other sources (not being lottery winnings and income from race horses and income chargeable to tax at special rates). However, an individual who is a director in a company or has held equity shares of an unlisted company shall not be eligible to use ITR 1. Further, the ITR-1 shall not be available to a taxpayer in whose case the tax has been deducted on cash withdrawal under Section 194N or tax has been deferred in respect of ESOPs allotted by an eligible start- up.
ITR – 2	It is applicable to an individual or a Hindu Undivided Family not having income chargeable to income-tax under the head “Profits or gains of business or profession”.
ITR – 3	It is applicable to an individual or a Hindu Undivided Family who has any income chargeable to tax under the head business or Profession
ITR – 4	Also known as SUGAM is applicable to individuals or Hindu Undivided Family or partnership firm who have opted for the presumptive taxation scheme of section 44AD/44ADA/44AE.
ITR – 5	This Form can be used by a person being a firm, LLP, AOP, BOI, artificial juridical person referred to in section 2(31)(vii), co- operative society, local authority Private Discretionary Trust, Society registered under Society Registration Act, 1860, trust other than trusts eligible to file ITR 7, estate of deceased person, estate of an insolvent, business trust and investment fund. However, a person who is required to file the return of income under section 139(4A) or 139(4B) or 139(4C) or 139(4D) shall not use this form (i.e., trusts, political parties, institutions, colleges.)
ITR – 6	It is applicable to a company, other than a company claiming exemption under section 11 (exemption under section 11 can be claimed by charitable/religious trust).
ITR – 7	It is applicable to a persons including companies who are required to furnish return under section 139(4A) or section 139(4B) or section 139(4C) or section 139(4D) (i.e., trusts, political parties, institutions, colleges.).
ITR-U	It is applicable to a person to update income within twenty-four months from the end of the relevant assessment year
ITR – V	It is the acknowledgement of filing the return of income.

Applicability & Non Applicability of these forms is as follows—

ITR – 1 (SAHAJ)

Applicability of ITR – 1 (SAHAJ)

Return Form ITR – 1 (SAHAJ) can be used by an ordinarily resident individual whose total income includes:

(1) Income from salary/pension; or

(2) Income from one house property (excluding cases where loss is brought forward from previous years or loss to be carried forward; or)

(3) Income from other sources (excluding winnings from lottery, income from race horses and income chargeable to tax at special rates).

Further, in a case where the income of another person like spouse, minor child, etc., is to be clubbed with the income of the taxpayer, this return form can be used only when such income falls in any of the above categories.

Non-Applicability of ITR – 1 (SAHAJ)

Return Form ITR – 1 (SAHAJ) cannot be used by an individual:

1. Who is a Non-resident or Not Ordinarily Resident

2. Who is a Director of a company

3. Whose total income exceeds Rs. 50 lakhs

4. Who has income from more than 1 house property

5. Who has held unlisted equity shares at any time during the previous year.

6. Who claims deduction under Section 80QQB or Section 80RRB in respect of royalty from patents or books

7. Who claims deduction under Section 10AA or Part-C of Chapter VI-A

8. Who has brought forward loss or losses to be carried forward under any head.

9. Person claiming deduction under Section 57 from income taxable under the head 'Other Sources'(other than deduction allowed from family pension)

10. Who wants to claim relief under Section 90 or 91

11. Who wants to claim credit of tax deducted at source in the hands of any other person.

12. Who has any assets (including Financial Interest in an entity) located outside India.

13. Who has signing authority in any account outside India.

14. Who has any income to be apportioned in accordance with provisions of Section 5A

15. Who has any of the following income:

a) Income from Business or Profession

b) Capital Gains

c) Income taxable under the head 'Other sources' which is taxable at special rate

d) Dividend income exceeding Rs. 10 lakhs taxable under Section 115BBDA

e) Unexplained income (i.e., cash credit, unexplained investment, etc.) taxable at 60% under Section 115BBE

f) Agricultural Income exceeding Rs. 5,000

g) Income from any source outside India

16. In whose case:

The tax has been deducted on cash withdrawal under Section 194N.

The tax has been deferred in respect of ESOPs allotted by an eligible start-up

ITR-2

Applicability of ITR – 2

This Return Form is to be used by an individual or a Hindu Undivided Family who is not having income chargeable to income-tax under the head “Profits or gains of business or profession”.

Further, in a case where the income of another person like spouse, minor child, etc., is to be clubbed with the income of the taxpayer, this Return Form can be used if income to be clubbed falls in any of the above categories.

Non-applicability of ITR – 2

Return Form ITR – 2 cannot be used by an individual or an Hindu Undivided Family whose total income for the year includes income from Business or Profession or he wants to claim deduction under section 10AA or part-c of chapter VI-A.

ITR-3

Applicability of ITR-03

Form ITR-3 can be used by an individual or a Hindu Undivided Family who is having income under the head of business or profession.

Non- applicability of ITR – 3

Form ITR – 3 cannot be used by any person other than an individual or a HUF. Further, an individual or a HUF not having income from business or profession cannot use ITR – 3.

ITR – 4

Applicability of ITR – 4 (SUGAM)

Form ITR – 4 (SUGAM) can be used by an individual/HUF/Firm whose total income for the year includes:

Business income computed as per the provisions of section 44AD or 44AE; or
Income from profession computed as per the provisions of section 44ADA; or
Income from salary/ pension; or
Income from one house property (excluding cases where loss is brought forward from previous years or losses to be carried forward); or
Income from other sources (excluding winnings from lottery and income from race horses).

Further, in a case where the income of another person like spouse, minor child, etc., is to be clubbed with the income of the taxpayer, this return form can be used where income to be clubbed falls in any of the above categories.

Non-applicability of ITR – 4 (SUGAM)

Form ITR – 4 (SUGAM) cannot be used by a person:

1. Who is a Non-resident or Not Ordinarily Resident

2. Who is a Director of a company

3. Whose total income exceeds Rs. 50 lakhs

4. Who has income from more than one House Property

5. Who has held unlisted equity shares at any time during the previous year

6. Who claims deduction under Section 80QQB or 80RRB in respect of royalty from patent or books

7. Who claims deduction under section 10AA or Part-C of Chapter VI-A

8. Who has brought forward loss or losses to be carried forward under any head

9. Person claiming deduction under Section 57 from income taxable under the head 'Other Sources' (other than deduction allowed from family pension)

10. Who wants to claim relief under Sections 90 or 91

11. Who wants to claim credit of tax deducted at source in the hands of any other person.

12. Who has any assets (including Financial Interest in an entity) located outside India.

13. Who has signing authority in any account outside India

14. Who has any income to be apportioned in accordance with provisions of Section 5A

15. Who has any of the following income:

a) Income from Business or Profession

b) Capital Gains or Loss

c) Income taxable under the head 'Other sources' which is taxable at special rate

d) Dividend income exceeding Rs. 10 lakhs taxable under Section 115BBDA

e) Unexplained income (i.e., cash credit, unexplained investment, etc.) taxable at 60% under Section 115BBE

f) Agricultural Income exceeding Rs. 5,000

g) Income from any source outside India

h) Income from speculative business and other special incomes.

i) Income from agency business or commission or brokerage

16. Who has income of the nature specified in section 17(2)(vi) on which tax is payable/deductible under section 192(2) or 192(1C).

In case the assesse keeps and maintains all books of accounts and other documents referred to in section 44AA, and also gets his accounts audited and obtains an audit reportas per section 44AB, filling up the Form ITR-4 (Sugam) is not mandatory. In such a case,other regular return forms viz. ITR-3 or ITR-5, as applicable, should be used.

ITR-5

Applicability of ITR – 5

Form ITR-5 can be used by a person being a firm, LLP, AOP, BOI, Artificial Juridical Person (AJP) referred to in section 2(31)(vii), local authority referred to in section 2(31)(vi), representative assessee referred to in section 160(1)(iii) or (iv), cooperative society, society registered under Societies Registration Act, 1860 or under any other law of any State, trust other than trusts eligible to file Form ITR-7, estate of deceased person, estate of an insolvent, business trust referred to in section 139(4E) and investments fund referred to in section 139(4F).

Non-applicability of ITR – 5

Form ITR – 5 cannot be used by a person who is required to file the return of income under section 139(4A) or 139(4B) or 139(4C) or 139(4D) (i.e., trusts, political parties, institutions, colleges, etc.).

ITR-6

Applicability of ITR – 6

Form ITR – 6 can be used by a company, other than a company claiming exemption under section 11 (exemption under section 11 can be claimed by a charitable/religious trust).

Non-applicability of ITR – 6

Form ITR – 6 cannot be used by a company claiming exemption under section 11 (exemption under section 11 can be claimed by a charitable/religious trust)

ITR-7

Applicability of ITR – 7

Form ITR – 7 can be used by persons including companies who are required to furnish return under section 139(4A) or section 139(4B) or section 139(4C) or section 139(4D) (i.e., trusts, political parties, institutions, colleges, etc.).

Non-applicability of ITR – 7

Form ITR – 7 cannot be used by a person who is not required to furnish return under section 139(4A) or section 139(4B) or section 139(4C) or section 139(4D) (i.e., trusts, political parties, institutions, colleges, etc.).

Modes of filing the return of income

Return Forms can be filed with the Income-tax Department in any of the following ways-

by furnishing the return in a paper form;
by furnishing the return electronically under digital signature;
by transmitting the data in the return electronically under electronic verification code;
by transmitting the data in the return electronically and thereafter submitting the verification of the return in Return Form ITR-V;

Where the return of income is filed in the manner given at (iv) without digital signature, then the taxpayer should take two printed copies of Form ITR-V.

One copy of ITR-V, duly signed by the taxpayer, is to be sent (within the period specified in this regard, i.e., 30 days) by ordinary post or speed post to “Income-tax Department – CPC, Post Bag No. 1, Electronic City Post Office, Bangalore–560100 (Karnataka). The other copy may be retained by the taxpayer for his record.

No documents to be attached along with the return of income

ITR return forms are attachment less forms and, hence, the taxpayer is not required to attach any document (like proof of investment, TDS certificates, etc.) along with the return of income (whether filed manually or filed electronically). However, these documents should be retained by the taxpayer and should be produced before the tax authorities when demanded in situations like assessment, inquiry, etc.

As discussed above, no documents are to be attached along with the return of income, however, in case of a taxpayer who is required to furnish a report of audit under section 10(23C)(iv), 10(23C)(v), 10(23C)(vi), 10(23C)(via), 10A, 10AA, 12A(1)(b), 44AB, 44DA, 50B, 80-IA, 80-IB, 80-IC, 80-ID, 80JJAA, 80LA, 92E, 115JB or 115VW or to give a notice under section 11(2)(a) shall furnish it electronically on or before the date of filing the return of income.

Source for obtaining the return forms

The return forms (ITR forms) can be downloaded from www.incometaxindia.gov.in

Procedure for e-filing the return of income

Income-tax Department has established an independent portal for e-filing the return of income. The taxpayers can log on to www.incometaxindiaefiling.gov.in for e-filing the return of income.

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Different Income Tax Forms For Filing Income Tax Return

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