The income tax department has received 2.06 crore returns, up 26.12 per cent, on its e-filing portal as of September 7 – the last day for filing the returns by individuals. 

“The department has received 2.06 crore returns on the e-filing portal as on September7, 2015 which is an increase of 26.12 per cent (over last year)…when 1.63 crore returns were e-filed,” the Finance Ministry said in a statement.

Central Processing Centre (CPC) as on September 7 has processed 45.18 lakh returns and issued refunds to 22.14 lakh payers relating to assessment year 2015-16, it added.

The department through its portal has electronically verified over 32.95 lakh e-returns.

The new e-filing system, enabled last month, allows online verification of a Income Tax Returns (ITR) by using either Aadhaar number, internet banking, ATM or email, thereby ending the practice of sending paper acknowledgement to its office in Bengaluru.

The peak filing rate touched 3,475 returns per minute as compared to 2,901 returns per minute last year.

The statement further said that the Income Tax Department remains committed to improving taxpayer services through enhanced use and further improvement in technologies.