10/05/2026
Rhe TDS return compliance process under the new Income Tax Act, 2025 has been made comparatively simpler from 1 April 2026, mainly to reduce duplication of forms and ease online filing. Key simplifications are:
Common challan-cum-statement form introduced
Earlier different forms like 26QB, 26QC, 26QD and 26QE were used separately.
Now a single Form 141 is introduced for multiple specified transactions. �
Income Tax Department +1
Renumbering and rationalisation of forms
Old forms are being replaced with simplified numbering:
Form 24Q → Form 138
Form 26Q → Form 140
Form 27Q → Form 144
Form 16 → Form 130
This is intended to create a more systematic structure. �
TaxGarden +1
Better online integration
The government has continued online upload through the Income Tax Portal� and TRACES system with updated utilities and validation systems. �
Etds +1
Unified utility support
Return Preparation Utility (RPU) and File Validation Utility (FVU) now support both old and new formats during the transition period, reducing confusion for deductors. �
Income Tax Department +1
Correction mechanism clarified
Correction returns can still be filed for earlier years, but now a structured two-year correction window is prescribed under the new law. �
Income Tax Department +1
Compliance focus on automation
The new framework aims to:
reduce manual selection of forms,
simplify reporting language,
allow instalment-wise reporting in some cases,
improve PAN-based validation and automated processing. �
The Economic Times +1
However, practically for professionals and businesses:
quarterly filing system still continues,
challan matching and PAN verification remain important,
defaults and late fee provisions still apply,
utility-based filing is still required in many case. The process is becoming more structured rather than completely easy. Initial transition in FY 2026-27 may actually require extra care because section numbers and forms have changed substantially.
