The Income Tax Department has released the Excel utility for ITR-6 for Assessment Year 2026-27, making it available on the e-Filing portal. According to reports from Mint, the department announced this development on 5 August 2026, stating that the utility is now accessible to eligible taxpayers. The release allows companies to prepare and validate their income tax returns offline before uploading them to the Income Tax Department's e-Filing portal, enabling taxpayers and professionals to begin return preparation well ahead of filing deadlines. The department has specified that the utility requires Microsoft Excel 2016 or later with macros enabled, with the latest version available for Windows (Version 1.2.2 – 57.1 MB) and Mac (Version 1.2.2 – 85.2 MB). The utility was first released on August 4, 2026, along with comprehensive JSON Schema (1.2 MB) and validation files (1.2 MB) to support the return preparation process.
ITR-6 is the income tax return form meant for companies that are not claiming exemption under Section 11 of the Income Tax Act, 1961. As reported by Mint, eligible companies include Indian companies, body corporates incorporated outside India, and institutions, associations or bodies that have been declared as a company by a general or special order of the Board. Companies claiming exemption under Section 11, which generally relates to income from property held for charitable or religious purposes, are required to file ITR-7 instead. According to Nishant Shanker, Tax Controversy & Dispute Resolution at Navraj Global Advisors, ITR-6 is generally applicable to both domestic companies and foreign companies having taxable income in India, meaning most companies carrying on business in India will need to use ITR-6 for filing their income tax returns. All companies are required to file an income tax return, irrespective of whether they have earned profits or incurred losses during the financial year.
The latest ITR-6 utility includes updated reporting requirements and disclosure norms for AY 2026-27, as reported by Moneycontrol. Key changes include separate reporting of capital gains arising before and after July 23, 2024, and share buyback losses can now be claimed as capital losses subject to applicable conditions. The utility also introduces presumptive taxation under Section 44BBC for cruise operators and requires diamond traders opting for the presumptive taxation scheme to declare profits at 4 percent of their gross receipts. Additionally, Tax Deducted at Source (TDS) reporting now requires taxpayers to mention the specific section under which tax was deducted, and additional disclosures are required while claiming deduction for housing loan interest under Section 24(b).
Companies should maintain the following filing deadlines for AY 2026-27: October 31, 2026 for most cases, November 30, 2026 for Transfer Pricing Audit (Form 3CEB) and companies that are partners in firms with Transfer Pricing Audit. According to Navraj Global Advisors, most companies whose accounts are subject to audit must file ITR-6 by October 31 of the relevant assessment year, while companies that are required to furnish a transfer pricing report have a due date generally of November 30. The Income Tax Department mandates electronic filing of returns through the e-Filing portal, and every return must be verified using a Digital Signature Certificate (DSC). Generally, the return must be verified by the company's managing director, with specified circumstances allowing other authorized persons to verify the return.
According to Aarjav Jain, Executive Director and NRI Tax Expert at Dinesh Aarjav & Associates, the release of the ITR-6 Excel utility is significant for the corporate tax filing season. As reported by Moneycontrol, Jain emphasizes that companies required to file ITR-6 can now begin preparing and validating their returns offline before uploading them on the e-Filing portal. He recommends that given the increased focus on data reconciliation, businesses should ensure that their financial statements, tax audit reports (where applicable), TDS credits, and disclosures are consistent with the information available with the Income Tax Department. Nishant Shanker from Navraj Global Advisors advises that companies should avoid waiting until the last minute, as preparing the return often requires collecting and reconciling several financial documents. Filing early also provides sufficient time to address validation errors and avoid last-minute compliance challenges.
