Missed e-Verification of ITR? Reasons, Consequences, and Solutions for Invalid Income Tax Returns
Missing e-verification of your Income Tax Return (ITR) means your return has not been validated as required, and the Income Tax Department will treat it as not filed. The main cause is failing to complete the verification step within 30 days of filing your ITR. Common reasons include forgetting the step, assuming filing alone is sufficient, technical issues on the portal, or not knowing the process for e-verification.
E-Verification Requirement
You will need to complete your ITR filing, and as your confirmation that the information is correct. It can be done through Aadhaar OTP, net banking, EVC (electronic verification code) via bank/demat account, a physical ITR-V form, or a digital signature certificate.
Consequences of Missing E-Verification
Your ITR is considered invalid—a return not e-verified within 30 days is treated as if never filed.
Refunds, assessments, and additional tax processes will not be processed.
You may lose exemptions and refunds, and could face interest or penalties for non-compliance.
Common Causes for Not E-Verifying
Forgetting to return and complete e-verification after filing the ITR.
Assuming that uploading/submitting the ITR itself is enough.
Technical difficulties with the e-filing portal (e.g., errors with Aadhaar OTP, EVCs not working, or portal outages).
Delays or unawareness of the new shorter 30-day verification window, which has been reduced from the earlier 120 days.
Issues like inactive PAN, errors during demat/bank validation, or lack of access to required linked mobile numbers or emails.
What to Do If You Missed E-Verification
If the 30-day deadline is missed, you may file a condonation request on the Income Tax portal. The tax authority may allow you to complete the process after reviewing your request and reasons for the delay.
To avoid issues, always check the return status on the portal to ensure it says “Successfully e-verified,” and keep acknowledgement receipts for your records
